WWE star Roman Reigns, whose real name is Joe Anoa'i, announced Monday night that his leukemia is in remission and that he intends to return to ring action.
Reigns, 33, stepped away from the WWE in October by announcing that, 11 years after he had first battled leukemia, the disease had returned. He vacated the WWE Universal championship at that time and stepped away from the limelight to fight the disease.
As the "Monday Night Raw" crowd at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta cheered him on, Reigns walked to the ring, did a lap to greet the fans at ringside, and then spoke to the WWE crowd for the first time in four months.
After speaking about his faith in God, the tremendous outreach from WWE fans and the prayers and messages shared over the past few months, Reigns revealed an update on his condition.
"The good news is, I'm in remission, y'all," Reigns said. "With that being said, the big dog is back."
Before joining the WWE in 2010, Reigns played football for Georgia Tech in Atlanta, where he was a three-year starter and an all-ACC defensive tackle.
"I missed y'all. There is no other job like this," Reigns said. "There's no other fan base like you guys."
Reigns did not specify when he would officially return to action. In January, his cousin, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, announced that Reigns will play his cousin in the upcoming film "Hobbs & Shaw."
Reigns will be interviewed by Robin Roberts, herself a cancer survivor, on "Good Morning America" on Tuesday.
