WWE’s Roman Reigns, real-name Leati Joseph Anoaʻi, opened Monday Night Raw with poor news. Reigns, who was diagnosed with leukemia 11 years ago, announced the cancer had returned and he would step away from the company to fight the disease.

Reigns is the current WWE Universal Champion (the WWE has two main championship belts, the Universal Champion and the WWE World Champion) and announced he would relinquish the belt while he focuses on his health.

Reigns, who has very much been groomed to be the face of the company as John Cena winds down his lengthy career, said this was “not a retirement announcement” and that he would beat the cancer yet again.

You can see his announcement here:

Sadly, this doesn’t seem to be a typical WWE “work” (and would be one of the lowest of the lows the company has ever sunk to if it is), as the company broke storyline at several points during the night to wish Reigns well. Paul Heyman, the “advocate” (manager) of Brock Lesnar, visibly fought back tears as he praised Reigns for his dedication to the company and his professionalism as an athlete.

The WWE announced it would crown a new champion at its upcoming show in Saudi Arabia on Nov. 2. Brock Lesnar and Braun Strowman will have a championship match at the event, dubbed the “WWE Crown Jewel,” despite several U.S. Senators urging the company to cancel the show after the death of Washington Post contributor Jamal Khashoggi.

Reigns was a three-year starting defensive tackle for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and was named first-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) his senior year in 2006. He went undrafted in the 2007 NFL draft, was signed as an undrafted free-agent by the Jacksonville Jaguars in August 2007, but was released a week later.

Reigns, 33, is married with three children. We wish him the best.