Pro Wrestling took a very real turn Monday night.
To kick off RAW, WWE Universal champion Roman Reigns announced that been living with leukemia for the past 11 years and that it has unfortunately returned. As a result of his diagnosis Reigns said that he would relinquish the Universal Title to be with is family and ‘focus on his health’.
.@WWERomanReigns has to relinquish the Universal Championship due to a battle with leukemia. #Raw pic.twitter.com/EhomllNwjK
— WWE (@WWE) October 23, 2018
Reigns however was clear that tonight’s announcement was ‘not a retirement speech’ and that when he’s done ‘kicking leukemia’s ass again’ he’s ‘coming home’ to the WWE.
And after he left his title at the center of the ring, Reigns was joined at the top of the ramp by his Shield team members Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins for an embrace and Shield salute before going to commercial.
There's no brotherhood greater.#Raw @WWERomanReigns @TheDeanAmbrose @WWERollins pic.twitter.com/QHFemFd9A5
— WWE (@WWE) October 23, 2018
The has also since released a statement on Reigns’ announcement:
ROMAN REIGNS FIGHTS AGAINST LEUKEMIA
STAMFORD, Conn., October 22, 2018 – Tonight on Monday Night Raw, Roman Reigns (aka Joe Anoa’i) announced that he is relinquishing the WWE Universal Championship and taking a leave of absence from WWE as he once again fights leukemia, which had been in remission since late 2008. Reigns is taking his battle with leukemia public in an effort to raise awareness and funds for research in order to advance cures for the disease.
Furthermore the WWE has also decided that Braun Stroman will face Brock Lesnar for the vacated Universal Title at Crown Jewel in Saudi Arabia on November 2nd. That match was originally a triple threat match with Reigns defending.