In a recent interview on Logan Paul’s IMPAULSIVE podcast, Paul Heyman talked about coining the nickname “The Tribal Chief” for Roman Reigns, replacing his former moniker, “The Big Dog.” Here are some highlights (via WrestlingInc.com):
Paul Heyman on when Roman Reigns was still called The Big Dog:
“He was still the ‘Big Dog’ and I was still known as Brock Lesnar’s advocate, and the camera pans out for the last five seconds of SmackDown, and he had hit my catchphrase, that’s not a prediction that’s a spoiler. Adam Pearce gets a look on his face and the camera pans out. I’m sitting on a couch with Roman … and I just said, ‘believe that,’ and we’re off the air.”
Paul Heyman on re-dubbing Roman Reigns as The Tribal Chief:
“For five seconds we end a SmackDown with Brock Lesnar’s advocate on the couch with the ‘Big Dog.’ Within a week, we named him the ‘Tribal Chief.’ We named him the ‘Head of the Table,’ and he had the title on him 48 hours later. I can’t tell you that’s not the moment, because the whole WWE universe at that moment shifted. That was the moment that completely changed everything.”
