Ryback defended Roman Reigns after the WWE World Heavyweight Champion faced backlash for attending UFC Freedom 250.
“Going to an event doesn’t suddenly define someone’s character or mean we know everything they believe,” Ryback wrote on X early Wednesday. He said it shouldn’t have surprised anyone that Reigns would attend the show since WWE and the UFC are owned by TKO.
UFC Freedom 250, held Sunday on the South Lawn of the White House, drew widespread scrutiny. Billed as a celebration of America’s 250th anniversary, critics saw it as a promotional vehicle for the UFC and a party for the president.
A federal suit filed ahead of the event called it “a celebration of the UFC’s brand and the 80th anniversary of Donald Trump’s birth.” The suit argued that the Trump administration didn’t seek proper authorization to stage the seven-fight card. It also cited Trump’s ties to UFC CEO Dana White and the president’s reported stake in TKO.
Reigns, who expressed support for Trump in a 2025 Vanity Fair piece, came under fire online from fans and celebrities after the event.
“Is this where you are when you’re never wrestling?” questioned actor Paul Walter Hauser on X. After taking another shot at Reigns’ part-time wrestling schedule, he added, “Enjoy the field trip, you actual dork.”
Ryback vouched for his former colleague, calling Reigns “one of the most respectful, professional people I’ve known in this business. He’s a family man and someone who’s done a lot of good for a lot of people.”
That assessment is shared by others who have witnessed Reigns’ acts of kindness outside the ring.
In December, Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital in Hollywood, Florida, shared photos on Instagram of Reigns meeting with patients and their families, as well as staff while raising funds for the foundation.
A nearby Italian market, Mimi’s Ravioli, described Reigns as a “true life hero” for his work with the hospital.
“It’s two days before Christmas and all the money in the world and this guy is picking up pizza to deliver to the sick kids at the hospital on his own time,” read the store’s Instagram post. “They don’t make them like this guy.”
After defending Reigns, Ryback called for people to focus on self-improvement instead of pointing fingers at others and the decisions they make.
“Happiness is a choice,” Ryback wrote. “The more we focus on becoming better ourselves instead of criticizing every decision someone else makes, the better our own lives become.”
Despite online criticism, Reigns received a positive reception Monday during Raw in Baltimore, as fans cheered him and his Bloodline for several minutes before letting him speak.
