In the world of professional wrestling, the lines between scripted storylines and genuine camaraderie often blur, revealing the human aspect of the larger-than-life personas that captivate audiences worldwide. Recently, WWE Hall of Famer Road Dogg Jesse James, also known as Brian James, added a unique and playful perspective to the ongoing conversation surrounding one of WWE’s most dominant superstars, Roman Reigns.
Roman Reigns has undeniably been a monumental force in the world of wrestling for almost three years. During this time, he has taken WWE by storm, ascending to the role of a dominant force and becoming the reigning face of the company. Reigns clinched the Universal Title in August 2020 and further solidified his stature by unifying it with the WWE Title at WrestleMania 38. Now, with more than 1,000 days as a world champion, Reigns’ legacy continues to grow.
Despite his astronomical success, Reigns is not without his critics and admirers, both within and outside the industry. One unexpected voice that recently weighed in on Reigns’ impact is WWE Hall of Famer Road Dogg Jesse James. Known for his time as part of the iconic D-Generation X and his contributions to the Attitude Era, Road Dogg has a unique perspective on the wrestling world.
In an interview, Road Dogg playfully admitted that he occasionally feels the urge to slap Roman Reigns. However, this sentiment isn’t borne out of animosity but rather a testament to Reigns’ remarkable storytelling skills. Road Dogg praised Reigns’ ability to convey emotions and capture the audience’s attention through his facial expressions. He acknowledged that Reigns’ portrayal of his character’s inner conflict and emotions has a genuine impact, leading him to feel a mix of admiration and the playful desire to “slap” Reigns.
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“I watch the storytelling Roman does visually with facials. It just makes me think, man — Roman’s really, like I want to slap him sometimes, you know what I mean? I just want to slap him and go, ‘You ain’t as cool as you think you are,’ you know what I mean? That works, that to me, he’s doing his job, I don’t know, it’s incredible right now,” Road Dogg humorously expressed.
Drawing a comparison between Roman Reigns and his legendary cousin, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Road Dogg went on to claim that Reigns has surpassed The Rock in terms of acting skills. He emphasized that while The Rock is renowned for his acting prowess, Reigns’ portrayal of his character’s depth and complexities is noteworthy and often exceeds expectations.
“I’m not dogging — and Rock’s a great actor. Look one of my favorite movies is ‘Central Intelligence.’ During this, what a character he [Reigns] has been, and I just like his family member before him, kind of carrying the company, you know what I mean?” Road Dogg pointed out, underlining Reigns’ crucial role as WWE’s marquee attraction.
Intriguingly, discussions surrounding Reigns extend beyond his on-screen character. Following his victory over Jey Uso at SummerSlam, the wrestling community speculated about the potential return of another wrestling legend, The Rock. Wrestling veteran Konnan further fueled these discussions, suggesting that Reigns’ retention of the title might be linked to The Rock’s anticipated return.
As wrestling fans continue to dissect and speculate about the industry’s future, Road Dogg’s candid and playful remarks remind us that behind the scripted personas are real individuals who contribute to the magic of WWE, both in front of and behind the curtain.
