Roman Reigns has offered a candid update on his continuing battle with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia, stressing that while the disease is under control, his health remains a daily consideration.
The WWE World Heavyweight Champion addressed his CML diagnosis in a recent interview, explaining that he still has to approach medical decisions carefully. Reigns said he has been able to manage the disease to this point, but made clear that he does not consider the fight completely finished.
“With my medical history, I have to be very careful,” Reigns said. “I’m still, to this day, down to the wire fighting CML. I have to be very careful when it comes to things like that. Anything invasive or anything like that, I can’t take a chance on it.”
Reigns’ comments are a reminder of the reality behind one of WWE’s most remarkable modern comeback stories. His current position as a world champion, major-event attraction and increasingly visible crossover performer has not erased the health situation that forced him away from the ring in 2018. Instead, Reigns said the discipline and work ethic that have defined his career have also informed the way he has navigated CML.
For more background on this topic, read Roman Reigns Says He Feels He Is in His Physical Prime at 41.
“I’ve heard all kinds of cool stuff about that, but I haven’t been able to break into that or sample it,” Reigns continued. “Maybe one day it’ll be a question for my doctor, but it’s something that I’ve been able to outwork everything to this point. If I can keep doing that, I’ll stay on that route.”
Reigns details where his CML stands
Reigns provided a specific description of his current status, saying that his levels are below the applicable baseline but that he has not reached molecular remission. He emphasized that even very small remaining traces matter in the larger medical picture and are the reason he must continue to be cautious.
“It’s under control, and we’re under the actual baseline, but to be in molecular remission, it has to be almost zeroed out, and there are still those minute traces, like .0031, but it counts,” Reigns said. “I still have to be very careful and very smart.”
He also offered a personal view on peptides, while noting he is not presenting himself as an expert on the subject.
“For me, and this is someone who doesn’t have a lot of knowledge on it, peptides are overrated.”
The important distinction in Reigns’ update is that CML is controlled, not absent. His remarks did not indicate any new setback or imminent change to his WWE schedule. Rather, they illustrated the ongoing monitoring and restraint required of an athlete working at the highest level while living with the condition.
For Reigns, that means weighing potential treatments, recovery methods and invasive procedures with particular care. The demands of being a WWE champion are substantial even without the added responsibility of managing a serious illness. Reigns’ comments show that his approach has remained measured despite a workload that now extends well beyond the wrestling ring.
The 2018 announcement that changed everything
Reigns publicly revealed his leukemia battle in October 2018 during an emotional appearance on WWE television. At the time, he stepped away from WWE to focus on his health and relinquished the Universal Championship. The announcement immediately reshaped the landscape of the company, but its larger impact came from Reigns’ openness about a fight that had previously been kept private.
His departure was not framed as a retirement. It was a necessary sabbatical as he dealt with CML. Still, the uncertainty surrounding an active WWE star leaving at such a pivotal stage of his career made the moment especially powerful. Reigns had been positioned at the center of WWE programming for years, and suddenly the in-ring storylines became secondary to his well-being.
He returned to WWE television in February 2019. The comeback was met with a major response from fans and peers, and it began the next chapter of a career that would reach even greater heights. Reigns went on to become one of the defining champions of his generation, building a résumé that includes extended title reigns, WrestleMania main events and a central role in some of WWE’s biggest stories.
That success can sometimes obscure the challenge that preceded it. Reigns’ latest comments bring the focus back to the fact that managing CML is an ongoing process. His return in 2019 was a triumphant milestone, but it was not presented as the end of his medical vigilance.
A major October awaits the WWE champion
The timing of Reigns’ update comes before an unusually busy October. On October 10, he is scheduled to defend the World Heavyweight Championship against LA Knight at WWE Money in the Bank 2026. The premium live event will take place at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana.
The championship match places Reigns opposite one of WWE’s most prominent fan favorites. LA Knight has spent recent years establishing himself as a consistent main-event threat, and a Money in the Bank title opportunity gives him another high-profile chance to break through at the very top of the card.
For Reigns, the match represents another defense of the championship at a major WWE event while his medical responsibilities continue in the background. His interview did not suggest that CML will prevent him from competing, but it did provide valuable context for the careful planning that can be required around a schedule built on travel, physicality and constant public appearances.
Money in the Bank 2026 will air live in the United States on the ESPN App. Internationally, the event will be available on Netflix.
Reigns expands into film with Street Fighter
Less than a week after Money in the Bank, Reigns will make another major move outside WWE. He stars as Akuma in the new live-action Street Fighter movie, which is set for release on October 16.
The film also features Cody Rhodes, who plays Guile. The project gives two of WWE’s most recognizable names roles in a high-profile adaptation of one of gaming’s most enduring fighting franchises. For Reigns, the role of Akuma is particularly notable given the character’s imposing presence and combat-sports identity.
Balancing a title defense, media obligations and a theatrical release would make for a consequential month for any performer. For Reigns, it also arrives amid a frank acknowledgment that his health must remain at the forefront of his decisions. The World Heavyweight Champion has not portrayed his diagnosis as an obstacle that has vanished through determination alone. Instead, he has described an ongoing process of staying informed, being cautious and continuing the approach that has worked for him.
Reigns’ words offer a grounded perspective on a career often viewed through the scale of championship reigns and blockbuster moments. He remains one of WWE’s most significant stars, with a title match in New Orleans and a major film release on the horizon. At the same time, he remains clear-eyed about CML, the limits it can place on certain choices and the care required to keep it under control.
As October begins, Reigns enters it as a reigning world champion, a featured movie actor and a competitor preparing for another marquee WWE defense. His health update adds an important layer to all of it: the fight continues, and so does the careful work behind his ability to remain at the top of the industry.
Darryl Polo
Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.