Roman Reigns and The Rock are two of the biggest stars in WWE history and both are members of the famous Anoa’i wrestling family. The Anoa’i family is arguably the most famous wrestling family in WWE history, with the likes of Roman Reigns and The Rock part of it. But how are the two WWE legends exactly related, and where do the Anoa’i family’s roots begin and where have they grown since? This article will take you through the history and members of the iconic family.
The Blood Brothers
The Rock’s grandfather “High Chief” Peter Maivia and Roman Reigns, The Usos and Sikoa’s grandfather Reverend Amituana’i Anoaʻi were blood brothers, a connection that has lasted since and seen the two families regard themselves as one. According to Sportskeeda, blood brothers are two men who are not related by blood, but feel a kinship that is stronger than family ties, and perform a ceremony called “The Blood Oath” to become blood brothers of one another. This is a practice that is not native to Samoa alone but is carried out all across the world, usually to forge a tie between two tribes.
Maivia’s adopted daughter Ata married Rocky Johnson and are the parents of The Rock – his original ring name of Rocky Maivia a play on his status as a third-generation wrestler. The equivalent third-generation offspring on the Anoa’i side are considered cousins of The Great One. The sons of Amituana’i, Afa and Sika, saw Maivia as their uncle. The pair wrestled as “The Wild Samoans” in the 1970s and 1980s in WWE.
A Sports Entertainment Dynasty
The Anoa’i family comprises legends such as High Chief Peter Maivia, The Wild Samoans, Rocky Johnson, Yokozuna, Meng, Rikishi, Umaga, Rosey, The Rock, The Usos, Roman Reigns and many others, even comprising Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka and his daughter Tamina, two performers linked to the family by marriage. According to WWE, the Anoa’i family is the sports entertainment equivalent of what The Jackson family is to music, having won well over 30 championships between them.
Afa is father to lesser-known wrestlers Samu and Manu, both of whom wrestled in WWE – Samu as part of The Headshrinkers tag team and Manu a short-time member of Legacy with fellow wrestling royalty Randy Orton and Cody Rhodes. Sika is the father to Roman Reigns and Rosey, who was most famous for being in a tag team with The Hurricane in the mid-2000s, and who sadly passed away in 2017.
Reigns’ other first cousins include former WWE Champion Yokozuna (died in 2000), Umaga (died in 2009) and Rikishi, as well as The Tonga Kid. Yokozuna was the son of Reigns’ uncle Afoa while the other three the offspring of his aunt Vera and her husband Solofa Fatu Sr. (Rikishi is the Jr.). Umaga previously teamed with his cousin Rosey under the ring name Jamal from 2002-2003 as part of 3-minute warning before becoming the iconic “Samoan Bulldozer” in 2006.
Rikishi is the father of current WWE Tag Team Champions The Usos (Jimmy and Jey) and Solo Sikoa, who recently debuted on SmackDown as an ally of Roman Reigns. Nia Jax is another cousin of Reigns and The Rock, being the daughter of Joseph Fanene (son of Lia Maivia’s sister). Sean Maluta is also a cousin of Reigns and The Rock, being the son of Afa’s brother Tio Maluta.
The Head of the Table
Roman Reigns is currently the undisputed WWE Universal Champion and the leader of The Bloodline faction, which includes his cousins The Usos and Solo Sikoa. He calls himself “The Tribal Chief” and “The Head of the Table”, claiming to be the one who provides for his family and carries on their legacy. He has been feuding with several WWE superstars who have challenged his authority or disrespected his family, such as Brock Lesnar, Edge, John Cena, Daniel Bryan and Kevin Owens.
The Rock is one of the biggest stars in the world and if things go to plan could be facing off with his “cousin” Roman at WrestleMania 39 in Los Angeles next year. The storyline is sure to focus on family and who the real “Head of the Table” and “Tribal Chief” truly is. Both men have tribal tattoos that celebrate their Samoan heritage and have shown respect and admiration for each other in the past. However, they could also have a clash of egos and pride that could lead to a blockbuster match.
The Rock and Roman Reigns are not biologically related, but they are part of the same Anoa’i family that has dominated WWE for decades. They are both proud of their Samoan roots and their wrestling legacy, and they are both at the top of their game. Whether they will face each other in the ring or not remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: they are family.
