Variety caught up with Roman Reigns after making his in-ring return with The Shield at Fastlane and after he, Seth Rollins, Finn Balor and other wrestlers paid visit to Pittsburgh Children’s Hospital before RAW. In the conversation, Reigns talks about the nerves he felt returning to the ring and shared some stories while he was paying a visit to the strong fighters in Children’s:
Roman Reigns talks returning to the ring with his Shield brothers:
“I think a lot of it was nerves,” Reigns said. “Nothing prepares you for the ring like the ring. I’ve had some really good training sessions, some great workouts, but nothing is like being in that ring in front of that crowd with the lights on you. I was pretty nervous that I would have that ring rust…but I felt once I got out there and started moving around. My instincts took over and it was just like riding a bike.”
“This whole period of the past few months, it’s really solidified my views on family and your support system and just being around the ones you love, trying to capitalize on that love and spread it,” he continued. “It was nice coming back with those guys, and it was more than just me. Obviously with Ambrose, the news out with him not resigning, you just don’t know. It’s a unique time for us. We’ve grown as performers and young me to be able to handle a split to where we were separated…but it was nice to be able to put that aside after being out for five months and entertain the fans. It felt fitting to come back in and lean on those guys one more time.”
On meeting the kids at Pittsburgh Children’s Hospital
“There were so many special children there,” he said. “We were serenaded with a song. There was this little girl who played the ukulele for us and sang an Ed Sheeran song. It was just really neat to go through her process with her. There’s a lot of time these children spend at these hospitals…For her to be able to perform for us was so sweet and such a special moment.”
Reigns also said another patient, Kelsey, had been in touch with him during his recovery. “She actually sent me videos while I was on leave, so she was just sending me support nonstop,” he said. “We actually exchanged some videos back and forth and to be able to bring it full circle and come visit her was really nice.”
