NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 23: Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns celebrate their victory at the WWE SummerSlam 2015 at Barclays Center of Brooklyn on August 23, 2015 in New York City.
Professional wrestler Roman Reigns said his leukemia is in remission and that he’s aiming for a return to the WWE.
The former football player, whose real name is Leati Joseph Anoaʻi, is one of the WWE’s most popular personalities but has been absent from the ring since October.
On Friday night, the 33-year-old wrestler returned to the spotlight. The good news is, I’m in remission, y’all,” he told the crowd during an emotional speech at a WWE Raw event in Atlanta. “So with that being said — the Big Dog is back.”
Reigns was first diagnosed with cancer at age 22, spent 11 years privately battling it and then the disease reared its ugly head again. He immediately relinquished his claim to the WWE’s Universal Championship to fight for his life. It was a move that no one wanted but everyone understood. Though with how clear-cut a decision it may seem now, Reigns struggled with his choices. “I’m not going to lie — before my announcement in October I was terrified. I was scared. I was insecure. And I didn’t really know if I wanted to share that secret with the world,” he told the cheering crowd. “That overwhelming support that you gave me, it gave me strength, it gave me new life. It gave me a new opportunity and it gave me a new purpose. There is no other job like this. There’s no other fanbase like you guys,” he added.
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Reigns later took to Instagram to thank his support system for being there in his time of need.
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Roman received support from around the WWE. Most importantly, wrestling legend John Cena posted on Twitter, “Real superheroes exist. Back and with strength and purpose! It’s your yard Roman. Your time is most certainly NOW!”
As the former champion returns to the ring, fans will root for him as he most likely attempts to reclaim his Universal championship.
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