Roman Reigns Says CM Punk Is “Just a Regular Guy” and the Magic of 2012 Is Gone Ahead of WrestleMania 42 Night Two

Roman Reigns has delivered his most pointed pre-match statement yet ahead of his WWE World Heavyweight Championship challenge against CM Punk at WrestleMania 42 Night Two — and the core of his argument is that Punk’s mystique has simply expired. Speaking with Michael Cole, Reigns was asked what specifically about Punk irks him, and the answer touched on Punk’s place in the current WWE landscape rather than any personal animosity.

“What irks me the most is I put in all that work to get us to the point where we could move on from people like CM Punk, John Cena, The Rock. I got it to a point where we were so strong within our own full-time roster, and now I look around and it’s a retirement act here, a retirement act there. We’re living off this nostalgia of CM Punk and it’s not 2012. The magic and the mystique of him is gone now. He’s just a regular guy. That’s what pisses me off the most. I put my soul into lifting this company up, and the people who were supposed to be able to carry that equity sh*t the bed,” Reigns said. He closed with a direct dismissal of everything Punk has attempted to accomplish in their rivalry. “He’s tried his hardest in the last two months to affect me, my status, my product, my superstardom, all of it. He can’t.” Reigns challenges Punk for the World Heavyweight Championship in the Night Two main event on April 19 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.