Roman Reigns Praise Prompted Grayson Waller Image Overhaul

Grayson Waller has been revamping his persona and appearance since returning to NXT in July. The NXT Champion explained that he had been mocked and perceived as a joke because of his previous choice of boxing shorts that many mistook for basketball shorts.

Waller said the shorts were meant to reflect his fandom of boxing and create a unique look but ultimately prevented him from appearing as a serious championship contender. He decided to change things up by wearing tights for the first time in a six-man tag team match at the Royal Rumble where he teamed with The New Day against The Motor City Machine Guns and Shinsuke Nakamura.

Roman Reigns complimented the new attire by pulling Waller aside and telling him it made him look like a champion which Waller took to heart. Waller stated that because Roman Reigns approved of the look he committed to keeping the tights and also ditched the leopard shirts upon returning to NXT because that vibe represented an old version of himself.

After being drafted to Raw in 2025 he participated in tag team storylines first with Theory and later with The New Day. He expressed frustration with inconsistent creative direction on the main roster noting that WWE pushed him to be more serious while involving him in comedic situations. Waller felt his initial main roster run did not allow him to show his full potential.

After being drafted to Raw in 2025 he participated in tag team storylines first with Theory and later with The New Day. He expressed frustration with inconsistent creative direction on the main roster noting that WWE pushed him to be more serious while involving him in comedic situations.