"This isn't a retirement speech," he added. "When I beat this, I will come home and show everyone that I will stand here and swing for the fences. I will beat this, and I will be back, and you'll see me very soon. Thank you so much, I love you, and believe that."
The 33-year-old announced it himself in a devastating Raw opening promo, revealing that he has lived with the disease for the past 11 years. He fought it back into remission at the age of 22 (which was a revelation in itself), but it's back, and he must now return home to focus on his family and health.
Introducing himself as Joe (Anoa'i), Reigns opened up for the crowd. On top of revealing that he was relinquishing the Universal Championship, he paid tribute to the crowd, thanked them for always reacting to him, and the company for "making [my] dreams come true."
”I want to show my family, my friends, my children and my wife that when life throws a curveball at me, I am the type of man that will stand in that batter’s box, I will crowd the plate, I will choke up and I will swing for the fences every single time!”
