WWE World Heavyweight Champion Triple H was interviewed by CBS Sports and discussed a number of topics including #1 Contender Roman Reigns and his fan reactions. Below are some excerpts from that interview:

Across the ring from Triple H will be Roman Reigns, a main-event babyface whose ascension to the top of the WWE ladder has been met by occasional resistance from fans. While Triple H is Reigns’ hated adversary in storylines, Levesque has nothing but praise for the youngster.

“He’s a great kid, and I’m really happy for his success and how well he’s done,” Levesque said. “But it’s a tough road and a long road. That success has come fast. Sometimes that can be a blessing and sometimes it can be a curse. So I think he’s done the best that he can with it.”

As for the mixed crowd reactions for Reigns, Levesque chalks that up to the changing times.

“You know, the hardest thing in this business to do now is, as a character, to either make everyone love you or everyone hate you,” Levesque said with a laugh. “The world is a divided place in politics, in music and everything. Choices now, and people’s opinions, are front and center more than ever. The Internet makes that readily available to everybody. They know all of the machinations of everything and the behind-the-scenes of everything, you know.

“It used to be that the good guy was the guy that didn’t cheat, you know what I mean? It was just very simple. The world has changed. I think [Reigns has] done a phenomenal job. He’s, you know, from a behind-the-scenes standpoint, a great human being. I’m really happy for his success, as I am for all of them.”

“The days of everybody loves the white knight and everybody hates the dark knight are gone,” Levesque said. “You’ve seen it for, what, the last 10 years with John Cena. I used to say to John all the time, ‘You’re the Red Sox and the Yankees in the same game. Half the place hates you, half the place loves you, but it’s full, so who cares?'”

You can read the entire interview here