“Battling Leukemia”: Roman Reigns’ Worrying Health Update Given Live During WrestleMania XL Main Event

Roman Reigns’ health issues and struggles with leukemia are well documented and were again brought to light during Night 1 of WrestleMania XL. As Reigns geared up for the main event alongside The Rock to take on Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes, Pat McAfee dropped an update on Reigns’ health that was recently brought into question over special media.

Fans were caught off guard, when Pat McAfee on commentary said, “Roman Reigns is battling Leukemia as we speak,” as the four men stood in the ring during their introduction. While Reigns’ battle with leukemia was public, fans did not know his current update. Fans were shocked to hear that Reigns was battling his illness while main eventing the “Grandest Stage of Them All.”

This immediately took fans back to the night of October 22, 2018. It was the episode of Monday Night RAW when Reigns told the WWE Universe about his illness. Standing in the middle of the ring, he explained how he battled the sickness for 11 years, showing a more vulnerable side of The Big Dog. This single moment changed fans’ perceptions about him as he took four months off for recovery.

Days ahead of WrestleMania XL, Reigns also discussed his leukemia diagnosis in the Biography: WWE Legends documentary. He revealed, “For leukemia, if you caught it an early enough stage like I did, you’re able to take, essentially, a medication, a very potent medication that I’m still on to this day.”

Reigns was 22 years old when he was diagnosed with chronic myelogenous leukemia or CML. During this time, he was in rookie camp for the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings in 2007. Doctors told him about his elevated white blood count levels, leading to his final diagnosis. He would reveal on Logan Paul’s podcast that at the time of his diagnosis, his wife was pregnant with their first child. The moment was overwhelming for the Tribal Chief, who credited his mother and wife for being his support blanket.

Reigns is still battling with the disease, and even before McAfee’s revelation, fans had caught a whiff of him not being 100% when he appeared on Jimmy Falon’s show.

After Reigns and The Rock appeared on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon to debate whether Reigns looked slimmer. Considering his past health issues and how he looked thinner on the show, fans wondered if their Tribal Chief was okay. Many claimed that the suit Reigns wore on the show made him look slimmer. Others claimed he was cutting to get a better physique before Mania.

After McAfee’s update during the WrestleMania XL main event, Reigns addressed concerns about his health in the post-event press conference.

“Still part of my life” Reigns addresses health concerns

After emerging victorious in the main event of WrestleMania XL Night 1, Reigns addressed Pat McAfee comments before the match about his health. Durin the post-event press conference Reigns said, “I’m still on oral chemotherapy, it’s a medication that I’m going to have to remain on my entire life most likely. It’s just a part of my personal battle. It doesn’t affect me, thank God, I’m still able to perform. I think anybody in my position would say health is wealth.”

The Head of the Table assured fans that, “as long as I continue to perform, you already know that’s at bay. We’re good. We’re still in remission. It is something that is still part of my life.”

His words will go some way to alleviate the fears of the fans who heard McAfee mention that he was still battling leukemia. Reigns will now turn his attention to Night 2 of WrestleMania XL when he defends his Undisputed Universal Championship against Cody Rhodes.

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