Zilla Fatu made a surprising arrival on WWE NXT, immediately adding another member of one of wrestling’s most famous families to the WWE roster.
Fatu debuted by interfering in the main event between Cruz Montana and Grayson Waller. For fans familiar with the Bloodline family tree, the name Fatu should immediately stand out.
Zilla is the son of late WWE legend Umaga and a member of the extended Anoa'i wrestling family. That also makes him a relative of Roman Reigns, The Usos, Solo Sikoa and Jacob Fatu.
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How Is Zilla Fatu Related to Roman Reigns?
Zilla Fatu and Roman Reigns are members of the same extended Anoa'i family, although they are not first cousins.
Zilla's father was Umaga, whose real name was Edward Fatu. Umaga was the brother of Rikishi, the father of Jimmy Uso, Jey Uso and Solo Sikoa.
Roman Reigns is the son of Sika Anoa'i, one half of WWE's legendary Wild Samoans tag team. Sika and Afa Anoa'i were brothers, connecting Roman's branch of the family to the larger Anoa'i wrestling dynasty.
The family connections can become complicated because WWE has often used "cousin" and Bloodline terminology more broadly than a literal family tree would suggest. The simplest explanation is that Zilla and Roman belong to different branches of the same extended Anoa'i family.
Zilla's closest WWE relatives include:
- Umaga: Zilla's father
- Rikishi: Zilla's uncle
- Jimmy Uso: Zilla's first cousin
- Jey Uso: Zilla's first cousin
- Solo Sikoa: Zilla's first cousin
- Roman Reigns: Extended Anoa'i family relative
- Jacob Fatu: Extended Fatu/Anoa'i family relative
Who Is Zilla Fatu's Father?
Zilla Fatu is the son of Umaga, one of WWE's most recognizable stars of the 2000s.
Umaga debuted the character in WWE in 2006 and quickly became a dominant heel, eventually winning the Intercontinental Championship twice. He worked with several of WWE's biggest stars, including John Cena, Triple H, Jeff Hardy and CM Punk.
Umaga also famously represented Vince McMahon in the "Battle of the Billionaires" against Donald Trump's representative, Bobby Lashley, at WrestleMania 23.
Umaga died in December 2009 at the age of 36. Zilla has since followed his father into professional wrestling, beginning his career on the independent scene before eventually making his way to WWE.
His NXT debut now gives WWE another second-generation member of the Anoa'i family, and his immediate involvement in a main-event storyline suggests the company may already have significant plans for Umaga's son.
