Roman Reigns opened up about the physical demands of portraying Akuma in the upcoming Street Fighter movie. 

In an exclusive interview with Men’s Health, Reigns broke down how his WWE background eased him into the role of Akuma in Street Fighter. However, the martial arts training required for the character pushed him to adapt physical presentation and preparation that went into mastering Akuma’s footwork, movement and techniques within the limited time frame. 

“I got lucky because Akuma, his physique is kind of bodybuilderesque. He’s a big brother, so he’s very muscular. But that helped me out to kind of stay in my regiment. But when you add in the martial arts, when you add in those different disciplines, the fighting disciplines, and being able to have your legs in a sumo squat, but then you can pop up on your toes and then also hit a unique pose with your arms,” said Reigns. “There’s so much isometric work in that. There’s so much just that body control, almost like a ballerina type of work.”

“So going through that training and going through those just different martial arts techniques and just basics too, just like learning how to move like a ninja and slide your feet and the footwork. It was pretty extensive and I didn’t have much time.”

Roman Reigns on physical disciplines of martial arts training to bring Akuma to life- 

Reigns further explained how it was almost like a merger of pilates and yoga to hold certain martial art poses in the film. 

“Me and my cousins always watched all the martial arts films and Bruce Lee movies, but I never understood exactly how hard it is and to be able to hold those poses. I mean, it’s very much like Pilates and yoga-ish, the way you have to be able to hold your body and then hold that posture in order to keep that authenticity for each discipline.” 

“There were a lot of parallels for me to be able to transition. I mean, they’re obviously different being the different things that you’re asked to perform within wrestling and martial arts, but I think the physical disciplines have that. They’re a little bit adjacent to each other to where it wasn’t as big of a gap for me to try to figure out. So, I think it helped me, the fact that I’m in professional wrestling and I’ve trained in this for a long time.”

“It really makes you go back and look at all of the great martial artists and Jason Statham and all these other guys, Chuck Norris, all these other guys and were able to do all these stunts and do all these movies and films and have it just be so good. It really just put so much respect, I tip my cap to him because it’s not easy. It really isn’t.”