"They beat you up for real"- Roman Reigns says past generations did not let outsiders enter the business

Roman Reigns has been credited as one of the greatest WWE superstars of his generation. He broke into the business with a rich lineage behind him, coming from the illustrious Anoa’i family that has produced legends like The Rock, Wild Samoans, Rikishi, Yokozuna, and more. Recently, Reigns was asked about nepotism prevalent in wrestling, and he pointed out an interesting fact.Roman Reigns said past generations did not allow outsiders to enter the wrestling businessIn an interview with Club Shay Shay, Roman Reigns was asked if nepotism paved the way for a kickstart in the business. He admitted that, but said it wasn't the case decades ago. Reigns said,“I mean, we do have the advantage, but if you told me 20 years ago to 40 years ago, we definitely had the advantage because we know about Fight Club. Nobody knew about Fight Club back then. There was a mystique around the business.”However, the OTC revealed that past generational wrestlers kept outsiders out to protect the business. He added that today it's different and much easier.”If you tried to get in, they beat you up for real. They don’t want everybody in the business. They don’t want to share our secrets. Right now, all you got to do is like go on Instagram. Follow WWE. You can get a tryout tomorrow. So it’s just a little bit different nowadays”, said Reigns.Roman Reigns will compete at WWE Crown Jewel 2026Roman Reigns has been the reigning World Heavyweight Champion since dethroning CM Punk at WrestleMania 42. Since then, he has defended his World title successfully on numerous occasions against top RAW superstars. He recently defeated LA Knight in a major title match at WWE Money in the Bank 2026. Following his victory, Reigns was announced to compete in a marquee bout at WWE’s upcoming Premium Live Event, Crown Jewel 2026.The OTC will square off against Sami Zayn, who is the reigning Undisputed WWE Champion on SmackDown. Both top titleholders will compete for the Men’s Crown Jewel Championship. So, it will be interesting to see if Roman Reigns will be able to add another major accolade to his already established resume.Also read: 11-time WWE World Champion announces retirement on live televisionStay updated with the latest Asian Games 2026 news, check the Asian Games medal tally and complete Asian Games schedule.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.