Roman Reigns has been very good to his family with the Bloodline stable. Their family tree is extensive, and there may be more room at the table for an incoming star who already has a veteran’s level of experience.
Tama Tonga did his thing in NJPW for years, but now it is reported that he is coming to WWE. His exact start date has not been mentioned yet, but there could be a massive role waiting on him whenever that day comes to make his debut for WWE after years of interest from both sides.
It is theorized that Tama Tonga’s role in WWE may involve becoming a member of The Bloodline. The faction considers him family, and his impending arrival could be perfect timing for a WrestleMania moment.
Tama Tonga’s Possible WWE Future
During Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer noted that it is very possible that Tama Tonga may join The Bloodline when he makes his way to WWE. He is considered family by everyone in the faction.
“He’s on his way, I don’t know the role, but you know very likely at some point could be part of the Bloodline situation, because he’s considered family by all those guys, so if they need somebody new, it could be him.”
It was noted that Tonga is done with NJPW, and he was talking with WWE a year ago as well. “He should start pretty soon,” Meltzer concluded.
The Bloodline’s Future in WWE
WWE introduced Solo Sikoa to the Bloodline fold at Clash at the Castle in 2022, and that was the last addition to the stable, other than Sami Zayn’s program with the faction. It could be very possible that Tama Tonga might add a new flavor to the mix that will give the Bloodline saga even more time.
SEScoops will have complete coverage of this story, and so many more, in the pro wrestling world. Keep checking back for more updates as additional information is available.
‘The Scottish Warrior’ faces backlash ahead of his important match at WWE Elimination Chamber on February 24. For months, Drew McIntyre has taken the standpoint that he hates the Bloodline(Roman Reigns, Jimmy Uso & Solo Sikoa) in his storyline.
He has spoken openly about how they have cost him opportunities and will never forgive them. However, on the February 19 episode of Monday Night Raw, fans pointed out that McIntyre seemed fine when Uso and Sikoa helped him defeat Cody Rhodes. ‘The American Nightmare’ was on the verge of landing the Cross Rhodes on McIntyre until Sikoa hit Rhodes with the Samoan Spike. Uso also made sure to distract the referee so that the official wouldn’t notice
The illegal assault allowed ‘The Scottish Warrior’ to get the win over Rhodes and build momentum towards the WWE Elimination Chamber this weekend. McIntyre will enter the Men’s Elimination Chamber match, with a win earning him a title match against Seth Rollins for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at WWE WrestleMania 40 in April.
WWE Commentator Michael Cole and fans have called out McIntyre for taking the Bloodline’s help and called him a hypocrite. Ahead of the upcoming premium live event, the former WWE Champion has decided on TikTok to give his response to the criticism.
WWE shared McIntyre’s response on Twitter. In the video, the WWE superstar shared that he arrived in Perth, Australia, for WWE Elimination Chamber quickly after the February 19 episode. He also called out Cole and Pat McAfee in character for their comments on the show.
“…I’m not a hypocrite. Don’t be pushing a false narrative to the masses when you have such power to influence. Come to the source and understand the big picture,” said McIntyre.
Drew McIntyre Explains His Thoughts On Bloodline Helping Him
Although it seems clear that McIntyre was fine accepting Uso and Sikoa’s interference in his match, he decided to give his perspective. The former WWE Champion also sent a warning to Sikoa that he would attack him when the time was right.
“…Watch Monday back. Look in my eyes. What do you see? You clearly see I wanted to attack Solo, and when the time is right, I will, but I’ve grown as a person, a competitor, a leader. I can’t be selfish. I have to do what is right for the fans and the future of the world title,” said McIntyre.
He explained that defeating Rhodes on the February 19 episode was important and a confidence boost heading into WWE Elimination Chamber. It was ‘The American Nightmares’ second loss since his return to WWE in 2022.
The February 19 episode of Monday Night Raw gave McIntyre a small character change, showing that he will do what is necessary to become a champion, including working with the Bloodline.
WrestleMania 40’s landscape was changed in a big way when The Rock made his way back to the company. He took Cody Rhodes’ spot against Roman Reigns, but fans had a lot to say about that. Now, Mania has a much different setup.
The Rock Returns To Salt Lake City
Roman Reigns made his way to the ring during the final segment of SmackDown this week. He hyped up the crowd, and then he said that tonight is historic, because The Rock has joined The Bloodline.
Then The Rock made his way to the ring, complete in a shirt that was straight out of his Hollywood heel character from years ago. He welcomed himself back to Salt Lake City, and he announced a new all-time in-door attendance record.
The Rock
The Great One proceeded to berate fans for being Cody Crybabies and causing the WrestleMania main event to change. He wondered what is Cody’s story anyway, because Roman beat Cody last year, and now he wants a rematch.
While bringing up how Michael Jordan once crushed the Utah Jazz’s dreams decades ago, The Rock drew even more boos from the crowd. He said that you don’t get another shot at a story, just because you want it … just ask the 1998 Utah Jazz.
The Rock called fans a bunch of “crybaby bitches” and they should “sit down” and enjoy the ride that he’s taking us on. In the end, he said “if you smell what The Bloodline is cooking.” They concluded the night without booking any WrestleMania match, but things are certainly taking shape.
I exclusively reported on SEScoops that a source within WWE confirmed that The Rock initially intended to have a match with Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40. The current situation regarding the show wasn’t what The Rock initially wanted, suggesting it wasn’t part of an initial plan. He later agreed that Cody Rhodes versus Roman Reigns should be the main event match.
Since the start, I’ve mentioned that plans were set, and the only individual capable of altering them is The Rock. That’s precisely what occurred, pleasing “Cody crybabies” who wish to witness The American Nightmare conclude his storyline.
The Rock voiced his wish for a match against Roman Reigns on January 1st, appearing on the Day 1 episode of RAW. Shortly after, the match was organized, despite Cody Rhodes winning the 2024 Royal Rumble match. Triple H was aware of the agreement for Rock vs Reigns.
Fan backlash and mainstream attention prompted The Rock to change course. Now, we have a brand-new vibe for WrestleMania 40.
SEScoops will have complete coverage of this story as more updates are made available.
The Rock recently grabbed the headlines with his actions at the WrestleMania 40 Kickoff Press event on Thursday evening. Is he allying with his cousin and the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns?
We are less than a couple of months away from WrestleMania 40 which will take place at the Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on April 6th and 7th.
It has been determined that 2024 Men’s Royal Rumble winner Cody Rhodes will have an opportunity to ‘finish the story.’ Rhodes previously made the way for The Rock to challenge Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40. However, this decision faced a massive fan backlash which might have influenced WWE to alter the decision. Rhodes clarified his choice during the WrestleMania 40 kick-off press conference as he faces Roman Reigns at ‘The Show of Shows.
Roman Reigns and The Rock left the venue together
Following the event, WWE cameras caught Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman leaving the venue alongside The Rock which raised more questions regarding their alliance.
During the Las Vegas presser, Reigns said Cody was as irrelevant as his late father, Dusty Rhodes. Cody took a shot back and said if the grandfathers of The Rock and Roman Reigns were alive, they’d be disgusted with “The Tribal Chief.”
The Rock reminded Cody that when he talks about Reigns’ family, he’s talking about his ancestors. ‘The Great One,’ who seemingly turned heel ahead of the event, slapped Cody and both men had to be separated before a brawl could break out.
The Rock entering the fray makes the storyline more interesting and we will have to wait and see how this pans out heading into WrestleMania 40.
Solo Sikoa is known as The Bloodline’s enforcer, a man who rarely cracks a smile, let alone dances. A video from Solo’s past has resurfaced recently, and it is one he probably wishes would have stayed buried in his timeline.
Solo Sikoa’s Embarrassing Dance Video
In a video dated December 2015 that recently resurfaced, Solo Sikoa can be seen dancing and vibing to a song, a stark contrast to his current WWE persona. The song in question was “Dabb on Em” by Big Will.
The caption of this dance video said, “When it’s almost Christmas and you KNOW you been gooddd!!” So this was literally a ghost of Solo’s Christmas past.
Interestingly, Solo Sikoa opted to delete this video. One fan noticed this old post was missing, and they commented to say, “Ain’t no way Roman Reigns made Solo delete this LMAOOOO.”
Fans confirmed that they backed up that 2015 dance video, which you can check out below. Obviously, this was not footage that Solo Sikoa wanted floating around the Internet Wrestling Community.
The Bloodline member took the additional step of securing his Twitter profile, limiting access to his tweets for everyone. Now, Solo’s profile is protected, so fans can’t view his timeline.
We can only guess that Solo Sikoa is going to do some social media research, nixing a few problematic posts along the way. Come back to SE Scoops for more updates.
The Bloodline may be one of WWE’s most popular acts in years, but they apparently cannot hold a candle to The Elite.
Following Roman Reigns’ heel turn in 2020, his cousins The Usos would fall in line behind their Tribal Chief, who has been advised by his special counsel Paul Heyman.
Last September, Solo Sikoa was added to the faction by helping Reigns retain the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at Clash at the Castle.
Without a Doubt
The Bloodline storyline, especially the chapter with Sami Zayn, has been heralded as one of the best thing wrestling fans have seen in years, but they are not the only faction around.
Last November, the Elite made their AEW return at Full Gear, after being suspended for their roles in the backstage fight following All Out.
Speaking on the Cafe de Rene podcast, Jake Roberts was asked which group he thinks is better.
“Kenny. Kenny and The Bucks without a doubt. I think Kenny Omega is f***ing unbelievable. He is f***ing on spot. I don’t like a lot of stuff The Young Bucks do but brother they’re doing it and getting away with it.”
At AEW Revolution 2023, the Elite lost the AEW Trios Championships to the House of Black.
The Elite Vs. The Bloodline?
At this time, the idea of a six-man-tag match between the two factions is purely hypothetical, but that is something WWE hopes to change.
The belief is that if they can sign Omega (who has previously been under a WWE developmental deal) then it may encourage the Bucks to jump ship to WWE.
Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions The Usos are back on the same page and have reached another milestone in the annals of tag-team history.
At WWE Royal Rumble 2023, Jey refused to attack Sami Zayn, seemingly leaving the Bloodline and raising questions about the future of The Usos.
During this week’s Raw, Jey reunited with Jimmy and the rest of the Bloodline by attacking Sami Zayn.
New Milestone
Since WWE Money in the Bank in July 2021, The Usos have dominated as the WWE SmackDown Tag Team Champions.
Last May, the brothers defeated then-Raw Tag Team Champions RK-Bro to unify the titles, though WWE has since allowed the titles to be defended separately.
If you count the combined number of days The Usos have held tag gold in WWE, the brothers have dominated for 1,527 days.
The End?
The Usos may have held the SmackDown Tag Team titles for 600 days (and counting) in their latest reign with the Championships, but will they reach 700?
It has been reported (though not confirmed by WWE) that the plan is for the brothers to defend their Undisputed WWE Tag Team Titles at WrestleMania 39 against Zayn and Kevin Owens.
There have been calls by some for the match to headline Night One of the event, given the popularity of the storyline featuring Zayn and the Bloodline.
WWE has found another diamond in the rough in Solo Sikoa.
Wrestling is all about creating larger-than-life characters that resonate with audiences and become legends in their own right. WWE has made some bonafide superstars – and Sikoa could be getting this treatment next.
On the latest edition of Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer stated that WWE plans to build and protect Sikoa. In time he’s slated for a massive showdown against none other than Roman Reigns.
Sikoa’s impressive streak on the main roster is worth noting, as he has not suffered a clean singles loss on TV, nor has he lost any singles matches at non-televised events.
This is a testament to the creative team’s belief in him and their desire to protect him as they build towards something big. Sikoa has already been involved in some big matches, including The Bloodline’s WarGames win, where he played an integral role in the victory. He has also defeated some notable names, including Sheamus, Dolph Ziggler, and Mustafa Ali.
Solo Sikoa was brought in to help Reigns retain his title over Drew McIntyre at WWE Clash at The Castle, and a feud with Reigns would make for a very engaging storyline with The Bloodline. This would be a significant match for both wrestlers, as Reigns is currently the top dog in WWE, and Sikoa is still establishing himself as a future star. If booked correctly, this could be a career-defining moment for Solo Sikoa. Solo Sikoa, he has all the tools to become a future WWE superstar. He has the look, the charisma, and the in-ring skills to succeed in WWE, and he has already shown that he can handle himself where it counts.
Many people consider The Bloodline storyline to be one of the best that WWE has told in years, perhaps even decades. Roman Reigns leading the charge, a change from what Vince McMahon had him portray since breaking away from Dean Ambrose after they were done feuding with Seth Rollins when he broke up The Shield.
Reigns had been pushed for years as the typical babyface character that McMahon knew and replicated with Hulk Hogan and John Cena, but Reigns never broke through the glass ceiling in the eyes of the fans as a top draw for the promotion.
That all changed in the summer of 2020 when he came back from hiatus as a heel, aligned himself with Paul Heymand and slowly recruited The Usos to form the faction. They later added Solo Sikoa and, for a few months, had Sami Zayn as the Honorary Uce.
There’s been a curiosity among fans regarding who is behind the storyline and whether it’s run by Heyman and Reigns or if whoever is in charge of creative whether that be Vince McMahon or Triple H, has the only say in it.
Johnson wrote, “Paul Levesque oversees it with Paul Heyman and Roman Reigns having strong, perhaps the strongest voices, involved in the direction, language and scripting. Michael Hayes regularly produces the segments and I am sure if a good idea is suggested by those on the Raw team, it would be considered or assimilated into the process.”
Reigns will defend the Undisputed WWE Universal Title against Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 39.
Sami Zayn may have come up short against Roman Reigns at Elimination Chamber, but some fans are still rooting for him to be added to the WrestleMania match with Reigns and Cody Rhodes.
WWE is reportedly concerned about Zayn’s popularity overpowering Rhodes. There has been speculation that Zayn and Kevin Owens will headline Night One of WrestleMania 39 against The Usos for the Undisputed Tag Titles.
What DDP told Sami Zayn
WWE Hall of Famer Diamond Dallas Page said in an exclusive interview with Forbesthat he gave Zayn advice at Royal Rumble. “I literally walked up to Sami at the Rumble and gave him a hug.”
“I love the Bloodline stuff. And Sami is a guy that, if you look at it, you don’t say ‘that guy’s money.’ But if you watch him and his storylines, and his interviews and his work in the ring, he’s money. He’s top guy money. Put him in a main event and he will draw, especially against the Bloodline, but really anyone.”
“I told him ‘bro, I love what you’re doing. Just be patient. Because it’s gonna happen.’ That’s the hardest thing for talent, is to be patient.”
The duo of Solo Sikoa and Jimmy Uso represented The Bloodline and continued their dominance after this week’s episode of SmackDown went off air.
WWE continued the storyline between the dominant faction and Sami Zayn during this week’s episode of the show from Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana.
The show opened with a recap of Zayn vs Roman Reigns from Elimination Chamber. Jimmy Uso then revealed that he has asked his brother Jey Uso to meet him in the ring later in the night.
The main event segment then saw Sami Zayn confronting Jimmy as Jey watched from afar. This segment ended with Zayn delivering a Helluva Kick to Jimmy before leaving the ring as Solo Sikoa arrived:
The Bloodline In Action
Both Sami Zayn and Jey Uso returned to the back after the cameras stopped rolling. However, Solo Sikoa and Jimmy stayed in the ring for a dark main event.
The Bloodline duo went up against The OC in a tag team match after the event. Solo picked up the victory for his team in this match using the Samoan Spike:
WWE has announced Roman Reigns’ return for next week’s SmackDown. We can expect some big development in this story at the show.
Two-time WWE Hall of Famer Sean ‘X-Pac’ Waltman has praised the Bloodline, calling Roman Reigns’ faction “up there” with the New World Order.
The influence of the NWO continues to be felt to this day, with groups including D-Generation X and the Bullet Club borrowing the iconic staple of ‘cool’ heels.
Coming together in late 2020, The Bloodline has been heralded as one of the best angles in wrestling today, thanks in part to the spectacular heel work of leader Roman Reigns.
“Right Up There”
Sean Waltman is no stranger to impressive groups, having been part of both DX and the NWO.
Speaking to TMZ, Waltman said that there are some comparisons between the NWO and Roman Reigns’ dominant faction.
“The Bloodline thing, I mean, it’s right up there [with the New World Order] as far as I am concerned quality-wise.”
Sean ‘X-Pac’ Waltman.
Waltman is hardly the first Hall of Famer to compare the two groups, with Eric Bischoff saying that the Bloodline is a better storyline than the New World Order.
Cracks in the Group
While the Bloodline may indeed be a force to be reckoned with, the group has shown serious cracks over the past month.
At WWE Royal Rumble 2023, Sami Zayn’s tenure with the group came to an end when he refused to attack Kevin Owens with a chair, and instead struck Reigns.
Jey Uso, who had been suspicious of Zayn for months before he was won over in late 2022, refused to attack Sami in response and has said he is out of the Bloodline as well.
At WWE Elimination Chamber, Jey again refused to attack the former Honorary Uce.
WWE is returning to Los Angeles on April 1-2 for WrestleMania 39, and just as they did in 2005, WWE will be doing something special for the show to get the word out.
The promotion for the show will include stars parodying classic Hollywood films. WWE has been showing the original clips on social media as of late such as Braveheart, Dirty Harry, Taxi Driver, A Few Good Men, and Pulp Fiction.
Stars featured in these trailers included the likes of John Cena, JBL, Rey Mysterio, Batista, Triple H, and more.
The List
WrestleVotes reported the list of which movies and wrestlers will be involved this year.
The Bloodline in Goodfellas, The Miz & Maryse in Top Gun, The Judgement Day in Stranger Things, Drew McIntyre & The Brawling Brutes in The 40-Year-Old Virgin and Seth Rollins & Becky Lynch as Batman & The Joker.
I’m told the list below are the planned “WrestleMania Goes Hollywood” movie trailers:
Miz & Maryse: Top Gun Rhea / Judgment Day: Stranger Things Brawling Brutes & Drew McIntyre: 40 Year Old Virgin Becky & Seth Rollins: Batman & Joker The Bloodline: Goodfellas
Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns vs. Cody Rhodes
SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair vs. Rhea Ripley
Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair vs. the winner of Saturday’s Elimination Chamber Match
Charlotte and Bianca currently do not have matches booked for this Saturday’s Elimination Chamber PLE while Reigns will defend his title against Sami Zayn at the show.
Eric Bischoff has become the latest individual to heap praise on the Bloodline, considering the popular faction to be better than the New World Order.
The NWO changed the wrestling landscape forever upon the group’s inception in 1996, ushering in the concept of the ‘cool heel.’
Much like Hogan in 1996, Roman Reigns’ heel turn in 2020 breathed new life into a character that fans had already turned on due to their strong babyface booking.
Better
While Bischoff played a large backstage role in the formation of the NWO (and would later be an on-screen member) he has now acknowledged the Tribal Chief.
Speaking on his 83 Weeks Podcast, Bischoff compared the two factions that have dominated their respective eras.
“The truth is The Bloodline story, in terms of a storyline in and the ingredients and the elements and the discipline and the structure and the nature of it, is a far better story than the NWO. Will it have the same impact on the industry as the NWO did? Probably not. But, that has a lot to do with timing.”
“The Bloodline story, in terms of a storyline… is a far better story than the NWO.”
“There are so many things that made the NWO work, including Hulk Hogan turning heel, by the way. There were so many things that were just a moment in time that helped propel that storyline at that, that time that you can’t replicate that today.”
While WWE tried to recapture the magic of the NWO upon the return of Hogan, Scott Hall and Kevin Nash in 2002, the group was gone within months.
The Bloodline has been suffering some issues themselves as of late, with the exit of Sami Zayn and the seeming departure of Jey Uso.
Sami Zayn’s turn at the end of Royal Rumble 2023 captivated the 51,000+ fans in the Alamodome, millions watching worldwide, and the WWE roster and crew.
In the main event, Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns retained his title against Kevin Owens, and the Bloodline continued their beatdown post-match.
When Zayn refused to attack his best friend, he instead struck Reigns with a steel chair, and was beaten down by the Bloodline (sans Jey Uso) for his insubordination.
Curtain Sellout
The main event of WWE Royal Rumble 2023 and what transpired after the match has been heralded by many as some of the company’s best storytelling in years.
The segment was also a hit backstage, with Fightful Select reporting that it was a “curtain sellout” with wrestlers and the crew gathering around monitors to see what happened.
It has been reported that WWE’s plan for this angle will see Zayn challenge the Tribal Chief at next month’s WWE Elimination Chamber event, in Sami’s hometown of Montreal.
During this week’s Raw, 2023 Men’s Royal Rumble match winner Cody Rhodes confirmed his plans to challenge for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at WrestleMania 39.
Rumble Backstage
After the disaster of last year’s Royal Rumble (which resulted in Shane McMahon being fired) a lot was riding on this year’s event.
Fightful adds that the mood backstage was “very laid back” and that the children of several wrestlers were having fun behind the scenes.
The WWE Royal Rumble Premium Live Event went a bit over time, as it was scheduled for four hours and lasted four hours and 12 minutes.
In a shocking turn of events at last night’s Royal Rumble, we saw Jey Uso leave his family behind after Sami Zayn turned on Roman Reigns.
Following the champ’s win over Kevin Owens, members of The Bloodline took turns beating him with a chair while he was handcuffed to the ring. Zayn had seen enough and stepped in to stop the brutal beating on his former best friend. Reigns tried to persuade him to attack Owens with the chair. Zayn ultimately pulled a Seth Rollins and hit Reigns in the back with the chair.
Tonight, Uso seemingly responded by taking to his Instagram. He posted a picture of himself with a caption that simply said “I’m out” with a blood drop emoji.
He also post a picture of himself and Reigns with text reading “run it back”. Uso is referring their matches at Clash of Champions and Hell in a Cell in 2020.
Uso and Reigns were at odds the early days of “The Bloodline” coming together as an unstoppable unit. Uso eventually fell in line and recognized his cousin as “The Head of the Table”.
Factors beyond WWE’s control led to the Bloodline Acknowledgement Ceremony scheduled for tonight’s Raw being scrapped.
The segment was promoted as featuring every generation of the Anoa’I wrestling family, in a ceremony focussed on Roman Reigns.
Last week, WWE announced that the segment had been replaced with ‘The Trial of Sami Zayn.’
Scrapped
WWE’s promise of every generation of the Bloodline appearing had fabs excited, but it was a promise the company couldn’t deliver on.
In an F4WOnline update, Dave Meltzer reported that a series of absences ultimately led to WWE ditching the ceremony.
It is noted that the Wild Samoans (Afa and Sika) were originally going to play a large part in the ceremony, but neither was going to be able to make it to Raw.
Rikishi, the father of The Usos and Solo Sikoa is dealing with an illness and would not have made the show either.
The report refuted rumors that The Rock not being at Raw led to the segment being scrapped, saying he was never scheduled to appear.
The Trial of Sami Zayn
Instead of an acknowledgment ceremony, the Bloodline will be all business on tonight’s Raw.
Sami Zayn has been at odds with the group ever since he ate the pin during his and Reigns’ tag match against Kevin Owens and John Cena on the final SmackDown of 2022.
The match marked the second time in 2022 that Reigns lost a match (the first being by DQ at the Royal Rumble against Seth Rollins.)
While Reigns wasn’t pinned, the loss to Cena and Owens was the first clean defeat for the Tribal Chief since 2019.
The era of the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships is coming to an end according to last night’s episode of WWE SmackDown on FOX.
The Raw and SmackDown Tag Team Titles were unified when The Usos (SmackDown) defeated RK-Bro (Raw) on the May 20, 2022 episode of SmackDown.
No other Superstars have held the titles, and the Usos have retained them against the likes of Hit Row, the Brawling Brutes, and Kevin Owens & Matt Riddle.
SmackDown
During this week’s SmackDown, a number-one contenders tournament was set up to determine the next challengers to The Usos.
It was announced that the Banger Bros. (Sheamus and Drew McIntyre) will face the Viking Raiders in the first round of the tournament next week.
This tournament will determine the next challengers for the SmackDown Tag Team titles, not the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships.
Raw
This week’s SmackDown seemingly confirmed plans to split the titles, but talk of a split first began with this week’s Raw.
In the main event, the Judgment Day went the distance in a gauntlet match to become the number one contenders for the Raw Tag Team Titles.
The show ended with Jimmy and Jey having a face-off with Finn Balor’s faction, and raised only their Raw Tag Team gold.
On commentary, Kevin Patrick repeatedly stated that the match would determine the next challengers for the Raw Tag Team titles.
It remains unclear as to when this title match will take place.
The Bloodline and Judgment Day are two of the strongest forces in WWE. What would happen if those forces collided?
The Bloodline is comprised of Roman Reigns, The Usos, Solo Sikoa and Paul Heyman (plus Sami Zayn, the honorary Uce). Reigns and The Usos hold the top singles and tag team championships in WWE. Meanwhile, Judgement Day includes Finn Balor, Rhea Ripley, Damian Priest and Dominick Mysterio.
It’s inevitable that these two groups will cross paths. If you ask Priest about who would win, he feels pretty good about his group’s chances. The Archer of Infamy discussed this topic and more on The Five Count, a podcast hosted by Dustin Wilmes & Juston “Ton” Cline.
Judgement Day vs. The Bloodline
Priest was asked about a Judgement Day vs. Bloodline feud, he took a moment to appreciate the vast amount of talent on WWE’s roster. That depth ebbs and flows over the years, but Priest thinks it’s a golden era for wrestling fans.
“There are a crazy amount of names when you think about the WWE,” he began. “It’s the best of the best, you have the best talent in the world and all these larger than life names and characters. It’s hard to pick one over the other, but it’d be a lie if I didn’t say at some point, we need the Judgment Day and the Bloodline to get in there and mix it up.”
Priest wants his name to live forever. He wants the fame, fortune and stardom that come with being a main event player. If you want to be the top dog, you need to test yourself against the best. Right now, that’s Roman Reigns.
“I have to do that, I have to run through Roman Reigns,” Priest continued. “That has to happen. At some point, I’m sure it will, we’ll cross paths down the line.”
Priest says working with Reigns is “always a thought in my head” and the two of them need to handle some business together.
When will these showdowns happen? When will Priest feel ready to challenge Reigns, and for Judgement Day to challenge the Bloodline? Surprisingly, he doesn’t think Judgement Day is ready just yet. “I know that’ll be great when it does happen.. We need to get the Judgment Day up to that level first.”
Zilla Fatu, son of Umaga, is beginning his pro wrestling training at Booker T’s Reality of Wrestling school in Houston, TX.
Fatu is the latest in a long line of warriors from pro wrestling’s wrestling’s legendary Anoa’i family. Elders such as The Wild Samoans, Yokozuna, Rikishi, Umaga and The Rock paved the way for today’s generation, which includes Roman Reigns, the Usos and Solo Sikoa.
On Tuesday evening, ROW welcomed Zilla Fatu as he embarks on a journey to follow in his father’s footsteps.
Welcome the newest member of Reality Of Wrestling training school Zilla Fatu.
His father Umaga was a part of Reality Of Wrestling and now he begins his own journey. pic.twitter.com/uBmPqpznqF
Zilla Fatu received congratulatory messages from several family members.
MLW star Jacob Fatu wrote on Twitter, “!! BLOODLINE JUST KEEPS GETTING STRONGER WELCOME MY UNCLE RIP #UMAGA YOUNGEST SON #ZILLAFATU”
Rikishi responded to the announcement on Instagram and thanked Booker T, writing in the comments section, “Thank you @BookerTfivex @realityofwrestling”
Zilla Fatu, 22, was recently released from prison. He spent six years behind bars after being convicted of aggravated robbery at the age of 15. He documented his experience on his YouTube channel.
Umaga has been in the news this week because December 4 was the 13-year anniversary of his untimely passing. Bloodline members Jey Uso and Solo Sikoa paid tribute to Umaga are among the wrestlers who paid tribute to their uncle.
After Zayn’s loss to Johnny Knoxville at WrestleMania 38 in April, he needed to get himself back on the right track personally, and with the SmackDown locker room. So, he turned to “The Head of the Table” Roman Reigns. In the months that followed, the former WWE Intercontinental Champion emerged as a serious star and integral member of The Bloodline stable — later earning the title of “Honorary Uce.”
Now, Zayn, Reigns, Solo Sikoa, and Jimmy and Jey Uso remain atop WWE programming, holding possession of the company’s stop prizes, the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship and Undisputed Tag Team Championships.
Planting The Seeds
The Bloodline
Before Sami Zayn and Roman Reign’s on-screen relationship even budded, the seeds for the storyline were planted six months before. In a recent appearance on Cheap Heat with Peter Rosenberg, Zayn provided some insight into when the idea first sprung up.
“Well, I won’t pull the curtain back too much, but the idea was kicked just about a year ago actually….The first time I think there was any interaction between myself and the Bloodline was just after WrestleMania [38]. But in actuality, the idea was first discussed going into Survivor Series of last year,” he revealed.
“I was doing this whole thing where I was on SmackDown, I was the longest-tenured member of SmackDown as the locker room leader,” Zayn continued.” I thought there’d be something interesting there with the locker room leader and ‘The Head of the Table’. The premise sort of being, the ‘Head of the Table’ isn’t in that locker room anymore.”
“I wasn’t originally envisioning being a full-blown member of the Bloodline or anything like that, just something to where Roman and I can occasionally get on screen together in sort of a light-hearted way and I’m giving him these reports of what’s going on and here’s what he needs to be careful for. Every once in a while, I get things kicked my way too. That was sort of the idea. That was the kernel, or the little seed.”
Getting ‘The Tribal Chief’ On Board
Zayn then revealed that Roman Reigns was also aboard the early discussions, noting Reign’s prior public statement to work with him someday. “It was talked about with Roman as well,” Zayn confirmed.
“We were sitting at catering one day, and I heard an interview that he did with Ariel Helwani where he was very kind towards me and just saying nice things about me as an on-screen character, and thinks he’d like to do something down the road with me one day. We got to talking and I don’t remember exactly how it went, but it was a mutual thing.”
Sunday, December 4 marked the 13 years since the passing of former WWE Superstar Umaga (Edward Smith Fatu). He was a member of legendary Anoa?i family.
Bloodline member Jey Uso honored The Samoan Bulldozer on social media on the anniversary of his untimely death.
As seen below, he posted photos on Instagram remembering his late uncle. The caption reads, “Dec 4th be a sad day. Then, ALL the great memories brightens it up.??? Love u mane.”
Several wrestling personalities liked and commented on the post, including Chris Jeriocho, Chavo Guerrero, Bayley and Renee Paquette.
Jey Uso is very proud of his uncle and his family heritage. In a 2021 interview with Yahoo! Sports, he credted the Samoan people for ‘making’ wrestling.
“I think the Samoan people have made wrestling,” he said. “Pro wrestling is right down our alley, we’re just physical people, strong, quick. I feel like we were just made to do this. Being a part of it now and seeing all of the blood that has been laid before me, the whole family tree, it’s very humbling and I’m so proud I am part of this.”
Both Uso brothers have spoken candidly about the way Umaga changed their lives:
Umaga Lives on
The Bloodline faction is comprised of Roman Reigns, Paul Heyman, The Usos, Solo Sikoa (plus honorary Uce, Sami Zayn). WWE broadcaster Corey Graves recently compared Sikoa to Umaga on the After the Bell podcast.
“His reactions reminded me very much of Umaga,” said Graves. “I said it on the air with all due respect, because I know in what regard the family looks at Umaga and with what reference he is viewed within the family. So I would never say that as a flippant comment. A smaller, more compact version, but the same hard-hitting impact. The same savagery once he gets going.”
Remembering Umaga
WWE has created this playlist recapping some of Umaga’s greatest in-ring moments. He was an active Superstar from 2001-2003 (as Jamal of the ‘Three Minute Warning’ tag team) and later 2005-2009 (as Umaga).
Legado Del Fantasma appeared on WWE’s The Bump earlier today. Santos Escobar will be facing Ricochet this Friday night in the finals of the SmackDown World Cup.
The winner of the tournament will go on to challenge Gunther for the Intercontinental Championship. Ricochet advanced to the finals of the tournament last week after Gunther and Imperium distracted Braun Strowman. The distraction allowed Ricochet to roll-up the Monster of All Monsters for the pinfall victory.
Legado Del Fantasma was asked about The Bloodline during their appearance on the show. Joaquin Wilde said of course they want to be the ones that dethrone The Usos and The Bloodline.
Zelina Vega then took a shot at The Wiseman Paul Heyman and claimed she was at a higher level than him.
“Yeah, I mean, I can see me going up against Paul Heyman,” said Vega. “Paul already knows that I’m not only on his level but higher. I’m pretty sure when it comes to The Bloodline, like I said, give it time because I have my eyes on Paul. Hey Paul.” [From 51:16 to 51:34]
Vega also poked fun at SmackDown Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey during her appearance on WWE The Bump.
“I think Ronda is difficult to beat overall as a human,” said Vega. “I’m not stupid to that. But you also have to find where is the kink in her armor and I found it. Oh yeah, I found it but it took a lot of research. But listen, again, she’s dominant.
There is nothing that she can’t do. But when it comes to brains, and again I’ve said this before. She has the brawn but I’m not so sure she has the brains, and definitely not to my extent. So, I kind of did find the kink in her armor. And when I’m ready to expose that, I hope she is too.” [53:32 54:08]
