ROMAN REIGNS STOOD in a WWE ring, his slick, long hair pulled back into a ponytail. The red WWE Universal championship belt sat on his left shoulder, while he held a microphone in his right hand.
It was Oct. 22, 2018, and as had been happening for years, the Raw crowd booed Reigns as soon as he put the mic to his mouth. Reigns had been positioned as the top babyface -- or good guy -- in WWE. But the fans were rejecting it, treating Reigns like he was undeserving of that role.
What Reigns said next turned those fans that night in Providence, Rhode Island, from hostile to stunned to respectful.