WWE and the ESPYS have made history tonight!
For the first time ever at this year’s ESPYS, Best WWE Moment was awarded on the red carpet. Fans have been able to vote once a day and named Roman Reigns' triumphant return to Monday Night Raw the moment of the year!
"For to me just to be able to be healthy was the only award I needed. This is just so flattering for everyone to kind of lift me up and show me that support system and love from everybody," Reigns said. "It was never about awards or anything like that. It was just about awareness, it was just about sharing my story and hopefully someone could use it for a little bit of hope."
Reigns was congratulated during the red carpet special by Raw Women's Champion Becky Lynch, Universal Champion Seth Rollins, Chief Brand Officer Stephanie McMahon and Executive Vice President, Talent, Live Events & Creative Paul Levesque.
The Big Dog also presented the Best Coach award to Basketball Hall of Famer Jim Calhoun, a fellow cancer survivor. Calhoun coached the University of Connecticut Huskies NCAA Division 1 men's basketball team to three NCAA National Championships. He returned to coaching after beating cancer and now leads the University of St. Joseph men's basketball team.
The ESPYS gather top celebrities from sports and entertainment to commemorate the past year in sports by recognizing major sports achievements, reliving unforgettable moments and saluting the leading performers and performances. The show recognizes achievements in categories such as “Best MLB Player,” “Best Team,” “Best Female Athlete” and “Best Upset,” and inspiring human stories are showcased through three pillar awards: the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage, the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance and the Pat Tillman Award for Service.