Roman Reigns might not be present for premium live events, but he still holds the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. While he’s been absent, WWE brought back CM Punk and Randy Orton at Survivor Series 2023.

However, this isn’t the first time The Tribal Chief has been absent from WWE TV. Previously, Reigns has taken a hiatus due to his battle with leukemia. He spoke about the deadly disease for the first time on October 22, 2018.

Reigns revealed that he'd had the disease for 11 years. He had first been diagnosed when he was 22 years old, and it had tragically returned. As a result, Roman Reigns relinquished the Universal Championship to take care of his health but promised the WWE Universe he would return.

He returned to the squared circle after four months to announce that he was in remission and resumed regular appearances on WWE TV. However, he’s been rather private about the matter ever since that point.

Considering it’s a deadly disease, The Tribal Chief opted to stay away during COVID-19. Not only was it to protect himself, but also his wife and children. It’s possible that Roman Reigns still battles through with a weakened immune system. He's been a champion since Payback 2020 but has had a drastically reduced schedule lately.

Roman Reigns’ limited schedule shocked WWE Hall of Famer

WWE fans hope to see champions in the ring more than other superstars. Not only does this help with moving storylines forward, but it also allows for high-profile matches and more champions.

However, The Tribal Chief’s limited schedule has resulted in fewer matches and opportunities. In fact, WWE Hall of Famer Kevin Nash was left shocked when he learned of the number of matches Roman Reigns had all year.

"Get the f**k out of here," Nash said. "Eleven all year? Pay-per-views, everything? (…) God bless him. And we sit here and I adamantly defend him that he should not lose the championship. (…) I had no idea it was 11. I would have thought 50, 60."

It goes without saying that The Tribal Chief must have quite the influence with WWE’s creative team, considering he wasn’t required to be present at Survivor Series – especially since it’s one of the most important WWE premium live events!

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