Roman Reigns Talks Similarities Between His WWE Character And Street Fighter's Akuma

Roman Reigns is one of several pro wrestlers cast in the upcoming "Street Fighter" film, where he'll portray the character of Akuma, one of the video game franchise's longest standing anti-heroes. During a sit-down with "Complex," Reigns opened up about preparing himself for the role and teased what fans can expect.

According to the "Original Tribal Chief," immersing himself into the character of Akuma wasn't a behemoth task, because he believes there are several similarities between the "Street Fighter" character and the persona he portrays on WWE television. "I think that's why I was considered for the part and got it," he opined. "I said it from the beginning. I'm not a good guy. I'm not a bad guy. I'm the guy, and that's how I've always felt in WWE."

Reigns then flexed his knowledge about Akuma as a character in "Street Fighter." "He's not a villain, he just is only looking for the most honorable fight, the greatest competition. That's all he cares about. He's not evil. He just is what he is, and that's what I love about him," he expressed. According to Reigns, playing the character also allowed him to explore other aspects of Akuma that haven't been fully shown in the video games while maintaining the character's authenticity.

"When I was on set, I felt very comfortable," Reigns added, reflecting on the transition from performing in WWE to acting as a character for a film. "The main thing is just not performing in front of a lot of people." In WWE, wrestlers have to often play off of the crowd. Although it's different filming a movie, Reigns claims he still managed to switch his brain into competitive mode and was often praised by the crew after takes.