WWE champion Roman Reigns has been forced to give up his championship belt after announcing he has leukaemia.
The 33-year-old star made an emotional announcement on Monday Night RAW, confirming he will be taking a break from the company to fight a new battle with leukaemia.
The star revealed he has battled leukaemia since for 11 years, since he was first diagnosed as a 22-year-old.
His live announcement left WWE fans shattered.
The father of three, whose real name is Leati Joseph Anoa’i, opened up the show by apologising to fans for hiding his cancer battle for 11 years.
“I feel like I owe everyone an apology,” he said.
“For months, maybe even a whole year, I’ve come out here as Roman Reigns and said I’d come out here every week, that I’d be a fighting champion, that I was going to be consistent, that I was going to be a workhorse — but that’s all lies.
“The reality is, my real name is Joe and I’ve been living with leukaemia for 11 years.
“And unfortunately, it’s back. The leukaemia is back and unfortunately, because it’s back I can’t fulfil my role, I can’t be that fighting champion. And I'm going to have to relinquish the universal championship.
WWE champion Roman Reigns has been forced to give up his championship belt after announcing he has leukaemia.
The 33-year-old star made an emotional announcement on Monday Night RAW, confirming he will be taking a break from the company to fight a new battle with leukaemia.
The star revealed he has battled leukaemia since for 11 years, since he was first diagnosed as a 22-year-old.
His live announcement left WWE fans shattered.
The father of three, whose real name is Leati Joseph Anoa’i, opened up the show by apologising to fans for hiding his cancer battle for 11 years.
“I feel like I owe everyone an apology,” he said.
“For months, maybe even a whole year, I’ve come out here as Roman Reigns and said I’d come out here every week, that I’d be a fighting champion, that I was going to be consistent, that I was going to be a workhorse — but that’s all lies.
“The reality is, my real name is Joe and I’ve been living with leukaemia for 11 years.
“And unfortunately, it’s back. The leukaemia is back and unfortunately, because it’s back I can’t fulfil my role, I can’t be that fighting champion. And I'm going to have to relinquish the universal championship.