Zilla Fatu isn’t being rushed straight into WWE’s Bloodline machine. Despite arriving with one of wrestling’s most famous last names, the plan was apparently always to make him prove himself in NXT first.
According to False Finish, Fatu was expected to begin his WWE run on NXT from the start, with his path being compared to fellow Anoa’i family member Solo Sikoa.
Solo didn’t walk straight onto the main roster either. He spent time developing in NXT before WWE eventually brought him up in 2022, where he quickly became a major part of Roman Reigns’ Bloodline. Now Zilla is starting from the same place. And WWE certainly made sure people noticed when he got there.
Fatu crashed the NXT Championship No. 1 Contender’s Match between Cruz Montana and Grayson Waller on the August 11 edition of NXT, planted Montana with a Samoan Drop and got the match thrown out.
Then he wrecked both of them. A Superman Punch dropped Waller, Fatu hit Montana with a Frog Splash and then came off the top again with an Uso Splash on Waller. By the time the show went off the air, he was staring directly at NXT Champion Tony D’Angelo.
Not everyone loved what they saw. Fatu’s arrival immediately had fans complaining that WWE had added yet another member of the famous Samoan wrestling family, with one fan fearing the Bloodline could now keep going for another five years.
“A year ago I would have been excited now all I see is this bloodline shit going another 5 years which is horrible because I know he’s talented I’m just sick of this same s and an entire corporation centered around one family with the same recycled story.”
That backlash makes the reported plan for Fatu a little more interesting. WWE could have immediately dropped another Anoa’i into its already enormous Bloodline universe. Instead, he’s getting his own run in NXT first.
Of course, we’ve seen this movie before. Solo Sikoa started in NXT too. Two years later, he was standing beside Roman Reigns on the main roster. Zilla Fatu has now taken the same first step. Where that road eventually takes him is another story entirely.
Do you think WWE should keep Zilla Fatu away from the Bloodline and let him establish himself in NXT first? Let us know in the comments.
