Following the news that WWE's premium live events are heading to ESPN in the United States, Roman Reigns appeared on the network's "First Take" this morning to cover the development. At one point in the conversation, Molly Qerim pointed out that her "First Take" co-host Stephen A. Smith has long had ambitions of becoming a WWE manager.
"Is he interviewing? Because I don't have a 'Wise Man,'" Reigns joked. "Something tells me the bridge was made specifically for you."
Smith stated that he sees room for himself to fill a similar role to Paul Heyman, with Reigns agreeing. The former world champion reiterated that he and Heyman are no longer on good terms, and there's an opening for someone to provide him with counsel when he's in need of it.
"I don't know how much wisdom you're going to get," Qerim said regarding Smith.
While they might not be friendly any longer, Reigns did acknowledge the importance of Heyman and people like him during the interview. The WWE star pointed out that the company often ends its shows with "heat," meaning the audience was left feeling angry at a given outcome. However, the thinking is that they'll be more likely to tune back in to find out what happens next.
WWE PLEs are still streaming on Peacock for the time being, though that deal is set to expire in March 2026, at which point the ESPN contract will go into effect. As part of the agreement, select WWE events will broadcast on ESPN's traditional cable network, while all new PLEs will be available live on the company's new streaming service.
If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "First Take" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.
