This week on Raw, Kevin Hart made his return after a 4-year absence in WWE. Also this week, Sasha Banks challenged Becky Lynch for the title at Wrestlemania 34 and moved to SmackDown Live as she lost to Charlotte Flair moments before main eventing with Ronda Rousey.
The “super hero” is a project that Reggie had been working on since he was 9 years old. He’s always wanted to be the one to create a superhero, and now he has the opportunity.
The Royal Rumble is one of WWE’s most popular events for a variety of reasons, one of the most important of which is that it enables another superstar to join the championship picture at WrestleMania. There are still a few slots open in the Men’s Rumble Match, and Reggie seems to be on the verge of entering the ring. After an incredible and always entertaining tenure as 24/7 Champion last year, Reggie is hoping to begin off 2022 with a Rumble triumph, but 2022 will also hopefully be the year when his fantastic superhero concept comes to fruition. We got the opportunity to speak with Reggie before of the Rumble, and we discussed the Rumble, his new project, a potential rematch with Sasha Banks, Kevin Hart, and more, but first, we had to talk about his first match, which took place in his hometown of St. Louis.
Reggie came close to his birthplace after capturing the 24/7 championship in Kansas City, but the Rumble will be his first visit, and it will mean the world to him.
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“That’s the cherry on top. That’s the icing on the cake “Reggie said. “That’s the bee’s knees right there, and I’d tell anyone: being able to play in my hometown is one thing; being able to perform on a show of this quality is quite another. To be victorious… Things like that are only fantasized about. Right?”
So, if Reggie is triumphant and earns that victory, who is he pulling for as his next opponent in today’s WWE Championship match? It’s all about The All Mighty Lashley for Reggie.
“So here’s what I’m going to say. Between Bobby and Robert, I’m not sure who will win. I’m rooting for Bobby to win “Reggie said. “Bobby should win, in my opinion. I’m a major admirer of both Bobby and Brock. Bobby has done tremendous things this last year, and he’s on my Mount Rushmore. There’s one easy pick among the top three men I’d fight amongst Roman, Brock, and Bobby right now. Brock and Bobby are two individuals I don’t want to be standing in front of, which is unfortunate considering he is the Head of our Table. Our Tribal Chief is the same way, but it’s like facing Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson. Mike Tyson is a great fighter. He has the ability to knock you out. But you know for a fact that if you fight Mike Tyson, you’ll get knocked out.”
Reggie made the 24/7 Championship his own last year, putting on some genuinely spectacular and brilliant performances while defending his title for a record-breaking 112-day run. While Dana Brooke now has the title (which Reggie admires and says she is “crushing it”), he wants to reclaim it.
“Truth made it his own, and I couldn’t accomplish all that Truth did, so my whole situation is different. Because of my history, I stand out among most wrestlers. I have a unique combination of abilities, a unique appearance, and a unique set of experiences, therefore I need to stand out, and why not do something I’m already comfortable with? It was also entertaining. It was a lot of fun. It was amazing because I was just exploring the waters, seeing what I could accomplish and how I could make something extremely distinct. I also have a lot of ideas for it, which I aim to implement whenever I get it back.”
The 24/7 Championship is unique in that it must be defended at all hours and in any venue. As a result, the most unusual occurrence was the uncommon bouts between the ropes for the championship. “Every time I am summoned and I have a match for the 24/7 title, I think it’s strange to me.” ‘What?’ I’m thinking. I’m not going to the city museum in a hurry. Reggie laughed and replied, “I’m not going through a park or anything right now?”
Looking back on 2021 and his best moments, two stand out, and both were crucial in defining and shaping the Reggie fans see today.
“It had to be when I was crowned champion. It was my first live event, and it took place in my home state, and I took home the championship. I won the 24/7 championship for the first time in front of supporters, and I go for 112 days “Reggie said. “That’s when I’m going to claim Reggie was born, but I believe it was when I had the bout with Sasha that Reggie was born and became that person. It had to be the moment when I won the championship or the match against Sasha. To be honest, I can’t decide between the two. I simply wish the match against Sasha took place in front of a crowd.”
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That was back when there were no people in the Thunderdome. Reggie is eager for a rematch now that the spectators have returned to the venue.
“I am prepared to go to any length. My duty as a WWE superstar is to improve the organization from where I started. That is everyone’s responsibility. I’m not a self-centered person. I take care of what needs to be taken care of. I’m a team player, and you know how huge this organization is. I’m going to do that thing whenever my phone rings “Reggie said.
The surprise entrants are part of the enjoyment of a Royal Rumble, and when asked who his fantasy surprise entry would be from any media, genre, or series, he came up with a fantastic one, and now a Reggie versus Kevin Hart match-up is a must-see.
Reggie said, “I need to watch Kevin Hart do it.” “I’m looking forward to seeing Kevin Hart in it.” I need to get into a fight with Kevin Hart in some way. That’s exactly what I’m looking for. That’s who I’m talking about. Kevin Hart is my favorite actor.
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Reggie is a great admirer of Marvel and DC (and is still hoping for a part in the Black Panther series), but he is also working on inventing his own superhero. Loop is the name of the character, who is based on Reggie’s own life narrative and lives in Reggie’s hometown of St. Louis. The greatest thing is that he’s already finished recording it for Audible, and he has huge ambitions for the future.
“Batman is one of my favorite characters. Thor is one of my favorite characters. That kind of thing. I’d want to appear in the Black Panther film. I’d want to, but I’m currently working on my own superhero. Yes, I have photographs. I’ve got the backstory, the whole shebang “Reggie said. “I’m developing my own superhero, and it’ll be situated here here in St. Louis, and it’ll have all of my genuine circus talents, like teleportation, looping, and all of that. It’s fantastic. I’m looking forward to it. My book is going to tie into the plot since I recently completed it. Sidney Iking Bateman’s full narrative is told by me. Part one would cover everything that transpired in St. Louis, including the shift from gang life to circus life, while part two would focus on Reggie’s transformation. Part two will be released many, many years from now. However, I just completed recording the first segment, which is 65 minutes long. It’s an Audible audiobook. That’s the backstory for the superhero I’m going to name Loop, and he’ll be jumping through hoops. It’s basically a carnival.”
The project does not currently have a release date, but he plans to return to work on it after the Rumble and expects to finish it before the end of the year.
“We haven’t set a date yet. I just completed recording last week and then rushed into this week with all of that, so I’ll have to return to Orlando at some point to listen to everything and double-check for errors. After that, perhaps in a few months, “Reggie said. “I haven’t shared any of the sketches for the superhero yet, but I’m quite excited about it. It’s thrilling, and you’re the first person to whom I’ve said it.”
The Royal Rumble begins at 8 p.m. EST tonight on Peacock, with the kickoff program beginning at 7 p.m. EST.
What do you want to see Reggie accomplish next, and do you think he’ll be the 24/7 Champion in 2022? Let us know in the comments, or tweet us at @MattAguilarCB to chat all things wrestling!
