Roman Reigns Takes Shots at Punk and Rhodes in Back-to-Back Interviews

Roman Reigns is doing what he does best in the weeks before WrestleMania — and that means making things personal. In two separate interview appearances, The Tribal Chief delivered pointed verbal shots at both WWE World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk and Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes, showcasing exactly why he remains one of the most compelling talkers in the business heading into the biggest show of the year.

On The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Reigns directed a message straight at Punk. “Phil, most likely you’re asleep right now. As you should be, you should be resting up because you need it. You’re probably wondering, ‘Why is Roman there and I’m here at home?’ That’s because I’m a way bigger star than you.” The delivery was vintage Reigns — dismissive, composed, and carrying the kind of casual confidence that makes him effective as both a heel and a babyface.

Roman Reigns Addresses Cody Rhodes and Previews His WrestleMania 42 Main Event Mindset

In a separate interview with Adam Glyn, Reigns also addressed Cody Rhodes and their crossover on the Street Fighter movie set before refocusing on Punk and WrestleMania. “This is my 11th WrestleMania main event. Punk is not the athlete that I am, but he’s a hell of a competitor, he’s savvy. If I do everything right, he doesn’t have a chance. But he’s good at making people make mistakes. If I somehow slip up, he could capitalize. So, it is a very serious matter — but I’m looking to go out there and smash him.” The combination of confidence and respect in Reigns’ assessment reflects his experience at this level. He knows Punk is dangerous, but he’s equally certain that a fully locked-in version of himself is unbeatable.