Roman Reigns, whose real name is Leati Joseph “Joe” Anoaʻi, is a popular American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE and performs on the SmackDown brand. Reigns has established himself as one of WWE’s top stars over the past decade thanks to his impressive physique, in-ring skills, and memorable rivalries against the likes of Brock Lesnar, John Cena, and Triple H.
In this in-depth article, we will look at how old Roman Reigns is currently, when he was born, his early life and football career, when he started wrestling, and how old he was when he made his WWE debut.
When Was Roman Reigns Born?
Roman Reigns was born on May 25, 1985 in Pensacola, Florida, United States. As of September 2022, Roman Reigns is 37 years old.
Here is a quick overview of Roman Reigns’ age over the years:
| Year | Age |
|---|---|
| 1985 | Born on May 25 |
| 1990 | 5 years old |
| 1995 | 10 years old |
| 2000 | 15 years old |
| 2005 | 20 years old |
| 2010 | 25 years old |
| 2015 | 30 years old |
| 2020 | 35 years old |
| 2023 | 38 years old |
Roman Reigns’ Early Life and Football Career
Roman Reigns was born in Pensacola, Florida to Sika Anoa’i and Patricia A. Anoa’i. The Anoa’i family has a long history in professional wrestling, and Roman Reigns is part of the famous Samoan wrestling dynasty. Several of his family members have been professional wrestlers as well, including his father Sika, brother Rosey, and cousins Yokozuna, Rikishi, Umaga, and The Usos.
During his high school and college years, Roman Reigns played football. He attended Pensacola Catholic High School where he was a standout player. After graduating in 2003, Reigns played football for Georgia Institute of Technology. He was a member of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team from 2003 to 2006.
Reigns had a successful college football career as a defensive tackle. Some of his accomplishments included:
- Earning All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors in 2006
- Serving as a team captain in 2006
- Playing in the 2006 Toyota Gator Bowl
- Appearing in 37 games during his college career, with 29 starts
After college, Reigns was signed by the Minnesota Vikings in May 2007 as an undrafted free agent. However, he was released by the Vikings later that year before the start of the regular NFL season. With his football career over, Reigns turned his attention to professional wrestling.
When Did Roman Reigns Start Wrestling?
Roman Reigns began his professional wrestling career in June 2010 at the age of 25. He signed a contract with WWE that year and was sent to their developmental territory Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW).
Reigns made his FCW debut on September 9, 2010 using the ring name Roman Leakee. He competed in his first match teaming with Richie Steamboat and lost to the team of Wes Brisco and Kofi Kingston.
Over the next couple years, Reigns honed his skills in FCW and NXT, WWE’s rebranded developmental brand. He formed a popular tag team with Donny Marlow called The Thoroughbreds and had a brief NXT Heavyweight Championship reign. By late 2012, Reigns was ready to be called up to WWE’s main roster.
When Did Roman Reigns Make His WWE Debut?
At age 27, Roman Reigns made his first main roster appearance with WWE on November 18, 2012 during the closing moments of the Survivor Series pay-per-view. He aligned himself with Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins to attack Ryback, making a huge impact in his WWE debut.
The trio of Reigns, Ambrose, and Rollins dubbed themselves The Shield and went on to become one of the most dominant factions in WWE history over the next year, feuding with the likes of John Cena, The Undertaker, and Evolution. Reigns’ first big singles match was a win over CM Punk on the January 6, 2014 episode of Raw.
In March 2014, The Shield amicably dissolved so the members could pursue singles careers. Over the next decade, Roman Reigns quickly rose to main event status in WWE, winning multiple world championships and headlining several WrestleManias.
Here is a quick summary of Roman Reigns’ major career milestones and accomplishments so far:
| Year | Age | Career Milestone |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 25 | Signs with WWE, makes FCW debut |
| 2012 | 27 | Makes main roster debut with The Shield at Survivor Series |
| 2013 | 28 | Begins first reign as WWE Tag Team Champion |
| 2014 | 29 | Wins Royal Rumble Match |
| 2015 | 30 | Wins first WWE World Heavyweight Championship |
| 2016 | 31 | Main events first WrestleMania against Triple H |
| 2018 | 33 | Wins Universal Championship for first time |
| 2020 | 35 | Wins second Royal Rumble Match |
| 2021 | 36 | Main events second WrestleMania against Edge and Daniel Bryan |
Conclusion
Roman Reigns has accomplished a tremendous amount in the world of sports entertainment since making his WWE debut at age 27. He was born on May 25, 1985 and is currently 37 years old as of September 2022. Reigns had an impressive football career in high school and college before shifting his focus to professional wrestling in 2010.
After just two years of training in WWE’s developmental system, Reigns made an immediate impact when he arrived on the main roster as part of The Shield in late 2012. Over the past decade, he has won multiple world championships, headlined five WrestleManias, and solidified himself as WWE’s top star.
At 37 years old, Roman Reigns is still in the prime of his career and continues to dominate WWE. His age and experience provide wisdom and maturity both inside the ring as a performer and behind the scenes as a locker room leader. Reigns has achieved more by age 35 than most wrestlers do in a lifetime, and his legacy will continue growing for years to come.
