From his impressive early efforts within the ring alongside his brother Afa, to serving as a veteran leader in the greater Anoa’i-Fatu family, appearing in angles with Reigns in WWE and with other family members like Samu and Afa Jr. in WXW, and his time running the Wild Samoans Wrestling School, Sika and his brother played an incredible role in the professional wrestling world fans know today and as a result, his impact on the industry could be felt far and wide.
But while fans were happy to see tributes from WWE, AEW, Bully Ray, and Fuego Del Sol, the response the mattered most was that of the “Tribal Chief” himself, as after being absent from the WWE Universe since WrestleMania 40, this would mark the first major announcement he’s made to fans in months.
Fortunately, Reigns did break his silence and delivered a touching tribute to his father that fans quickly celebrated in the comments.
“My family and I thank everyone for the outpouring of support in the name of my father, Pola’ivao Leati Sika Anoa’i, who will forever be remembered as one half of The Wild Samoans tag team,” Roman Reigns wrote on social media. “My father had a profound impact on my entire family, and we are forever grateful for the foundation he built for us. There’s no way to fill the void left by his passing, but my sisters and I will do our best to represent him and his legacy. Rest in Power, Dad. We love you.”
Could Reigns have kept up Kayfabe and, in turn, kept his feelings to himself, watching fans celebrate his father and appreciate the support offline? Sure thing, but frankly, how he handled the situation feels perfect, as he was able to celebrate his accomplishments while promising to continue his legacy into the future. If that isn’t a fitting tribute to the Wild Samoan, then I don’t know what is.
Roman Reigns’ cousin, Jacob Fatu, is earning rave WWE reviews.
Though Sika may be gone, his legacy as a trailblazing force for Samoan performers in the WWE Universe will only continue to grow with each passing year, as just last week, Jacob Fatu, the son of the Tonga Kid and cousin of Roman Reigns, made his debut on SmackDown and has been earning rave reviews for his incredible efforts.
Discussing Fatu on his Hall of Fame podcast, Booker T celebrated the “Samoan Wearwolf” for looking so incredible right out of the gate, declaring that the “Samoan Dynasty” is alive and well.
“I went back and watched the clips and [watched him] making a big entrance, dropping them boys. He looked real good. He’s dropped a lot of weight. He looked like he’s in the best shape he’s ever been in. I’m glad to see Jacob finally make his debut in the WWE, on the main roster, which I thought was a great move as well because this guy has been out there on that scene grinding and grinding for quite some time. The fans have been waiting and anticipating the arrival of Jacob Fatu. I’m just glad that Jacob stayed the course, more than anything. I’ve even talking to Jacob for quite some time about man, just stay the course, your time is gonna come, and now that time has come. He’s making a huge impact, and I just want to see this kid take over this wrestling game. People always talk about the Samoan dynasty, and I really believe Jacob Fatu may be the best out of the whole group. He may just absolutely be, so we gonna find out how good Jacob Fatu actually really is. But I’m proud of the kid. I really am,” Booker T explained on his podcast via Fightful.
“He’s definitely positioned in a top position, as far as a top spot, as far as being a guy that’s going to make some moves, make some plays. They waited til the right time to actually debut him. They didn’t just bring him in and just put him out there. It seemed like there was a lot of thought process went into how are we actually going to bring Jacob in. Me personally, I think him being a part of The Bloodline is perfect. I think it’s a no-brainer. I don’t think you really had to think a whole lot about where you want to position Jacob Fatu in the company. I’m just ready to see some great matches. I’m ready for the world to see Jacob Fatu and how good this guy really is. I’ve been touting Jacob Fatu for quite some time. I even said I’m gonna do my best to help Jacob Fatu get in the WWE, and now he’s there. Let’s see exactly what ‘The Werewolf’ is all about.”
Asked by his co-host, Brad Gilmore, what thought made Fatu stick out, Booker T kept it simple, noting that, when it comes to the “Samoan Werewolf,” he simply has an “it factor” you can’t teach.
