Undisputed WWE World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns says his mindset changed dramatically after becoming the Tribal Chief, explaining that he no longer focuses on making friends in the WWE locker room.
Speaking with Nightcap at Fanatics Fest 2026, Reigns was asked whether there is anyone in WWE that he personally dislikes. Instead of naming anyone, he reflected on how his priorities have evolved over the years. “There is a camaraderie. It is a show, and we are all working together, so there is that friendship. In the business, we call it being one of the boys, you know what I mean? Early on, you could easily say that’s exactly what I was.
But there was a time when I kind of transformed into the Tribal Chief. Around COVID, when I came back, I had to make a choice. Do I want to be one of the boys, or do I want to be responsible for the championships? Do I want to pull the wagon? Do I want to make this business better? Do I want to advance the industry? I had to make that choice.”
Reigns said that decision fundamentally changed the way he approaches his career and relationships within the company. “I’ll cleanly say now, I don’t really have many friends anymore. I have my family. I got my blood, and that’s real. We’re not a faction. We’re a family. People wonder, ‘How long is this [The Bloodline] going to go on?’ Forever. Until I’m gone.”
While emphasizing that he remains professional with his fellow WWE Superstars, Reigns made it clear that his focus is on business rather than socializing. “But no, I’m not in the friend business. We’re in the conflict business. We’re here to sell tickets and get y’all to see us go at it. I’m a businessman, and I’m cordial with the locker room, but I’m not really trying to hang out with anybody.”
Rather than revealing any personal animosity toward specific WWE talent, Reigns explained that his evolution into the Tribal Chief came with a shift in priorities, placing leadership, business, and family above friendships within the locker room.
