Roman Reigns says John Cena and The Rock shaped his career as he balances WWE commitments and a film role
Roman Reigns told Men’s Health on October 5, 2026, that John Cena and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson influenced his career, and he is listed to appear on WWE RAW on October 5 ahead of his World Heavyweight Championship defence at Money in the Bank on October 10 at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans.
Reigns spoke about ambitions beyond wrestling while still carrying a top role in WWE, acknowledging the path followed by Cena and Johnson as a template for moving into Hollywood. He will play the role of “Akuma” in the upcoming Street Fighter movie and believes that character shares traits with his “Tribal Chief” persona. Reigns said he does not view this as the end of his in-ring run and sees several years of potential stories remaining inside WWE. He has also taken on a role helping identify and elevate the next generation of performers.
Reigns described Cena and Johnson as formative figures and offered the following to Men’s Health: “These two are special humans. You’re talking about, even in their leaned out stages, they’re still superhero guys, these are my mentors. These are the guys that I watched come before me. So these were guys who had a great imprint and left a great impression on me. They were also great influences to look at. If you’re going to steal from somebody, from their playbook, John Cena and Dwayne Johnson are two of the very best you can do it from.”
The Head of the Table has spent more than a decade building his WWE legacy, and the article said the “OTC” is entering another phase in which Reigns appears ready to explore similar opportunities outside the ring. The piece framed his move toward film work as unfolding while he remains one of WWE’s principal attractions and titleholders.
Reigns highlighted a personal connection to the Akuma role, saying the similarities to his Tribal Chief character make the part feel more natural than it might appear. The Men’s Health interview noted the timing of the film role alongside Reigns’s continued prominence in WWE storylines.
Reigns’s title defence against LA Knight was announced for Money in the Bank 2026 after an incident in Mexico City when Reigns defended his championship against Penta and Knight confronted him and struck him with a BFT. WWE subsequently confirmed the championship match will headline Money in the Bank on October 10 at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans.
That sequence leaves Reigns positioned between a possible Hollywood transition and ongoing WWE commitments: if Reigns retains, his reign continues and more WWE stories are possible; if LA Knight wins, the source said it could alter the trajectory of Reigns’s current run and possibly accelerate the next chapter of his career.
Reigns is scheduled to be among the featured stars on the October 5, 2026 edition of RAW and will defend the World Heavyweight Championship against LA Knight at Money in the Bank on October 10 at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans.
