Hello, ladies and gentlemen, my name is Chris Chambers, I’m a life long time fan of professional wrestling, since I was 4 years old in 1988. I trained to wrestle and wrestled briefly in 2000 and 2001, until I got hurt, long story, for another time. Then about 20ish years later, I got back into the wrestling industry as a professional wrestling referee. I’ve been training in it from late 2019, brief break during covid and then back at it in late 2020. Then I’ve been reffing since for a solid 4 years. I will always be a fan of it and a student of it. I’ll be bringing you a different style and flavor of professional wrestling through my writing and I’ll bring you along on this journey as I’ve graciously accepted and grateful I was offered this spot.
My journey here, will be known as …
The Chambers Corner
And with that out of the way, I wanted the first writing to be on something I’ve followed for a long time and that is The Bloodline! So without any further ado, here it is.
War, what is it good for, you ask? Whilst the answer is absolutely nothing, in professional wrestling, it’s absolutely everything. From the golden days of the wars between “The American Dream” Dusty Rhodes and Ric Flair and The Four Horsemen to the Fabulous Freebirds against The Von Erichs to the modern day war between Stone Cold Steve Austin against The Rock and to the newer examples of John Cena against Randy Orton. War in professional wrestling, it exudes excitement and provokes feelings deep within to come out for one side over the other. Well, here in this piece, I want to take you on a ride of a different kind of war. This war, is different, yet it gives you the same emotional tugging and excitement nonetheless. That war is ..
The Bloodline
Whether it’s together or against each other, The Bloodline in professional wrestling is the most prolific and richest in the history of its industry in terms of numbers, quality and story. When you think you’ve got the answers, they change the questions, as the late great Rowdy Roddy Piper once said. Which and who, of himself, had history with The Bloodline as I’ll touch upon a bit later on. The Bloodline was forged by blood as a blood pact with the Anoa’i family and the Maivia family, creating a family bond that laid the foundation to what was to come.
As I begin in the beginning, with the late great High Chief Peter Maivia, this family tree was meant for war. Peter was the grandfather of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and started his career in 1960 at the young age of 23 years old. Peter was trained by Steve Rickard and started his wrestling career in NWA Hawaii. Making a name for himself and the beginning of the family tree through fighting and wars with some prominent names. Starting in NWA Hawaii, he then went through other countries and etched his name into those territories memories. From New Zealand through Australia. He caught the eyes of many around that area and eventually in the eyes of the big time promotions. Wrestling in IWE in Japan, NWA San Francisco, NWA Hollywood, WCCW, Houston Wrestling and eventually to AWA. Once he made those travels, gaining recognition and fighting battles after battles in war after war, he made his way to the World Wide Wrestling Federation. Going to war with the likes of Superstar Billy Graham, Ivan Putski and Bob Backlund. Etching his name into the record books, he was truly the pioneer of The Bloodline and what was yet to come.
On the Anoa’i side of the family, the prolific warriors of war were The Wild Samoans, Afa & Sika. Savages from the Isle Of Samoa, dominating the tag team divisions wherever they went. Waring with the likes of Ivan Putski and Tito Santana, Bob Backlund and Pedro Morales to Junkyard Dog and Dick Murdock. After completely dominating for years, one team that stood toe to toe with them and dethroned them was Tony Atlas and The Rock’s father Rocky Johnson. Post tag team wrestling and their careers, Sika retired and began to train the next generation of wrestlers and even their own bloodline. Afa went on to manage other members of the family in The Headshrinkers. Consisting of Samu and Fatu, the latter of whom became Rikishi and extended the family beyond measure, of which I’ll touch upon in a bit as well. Another example of the Anoa’i side is Yokozuna. Granted he was Samoan, he was famously known for the Japanese warrior and sumo fighter, managed by Mr. Fuji, both of whom are now late greats.
Yokozuna busted on the scene as the Great Kokina, but didn’t find his footing, until he became Yokozuna. Warring against the likes of Hulk Hogan, Lex Luger and Bret “The Hitman” Hart. Devastating and crushing his opponents with his notorious BONZAI drop. He was a monster among men and a sight to behold. He too became a tag team specialist like his family members, teaming with the late great Owen Hart. Of which both dominated the early World Wrestling Federation for a few years. Yokozuna would unfortunately pass away at a young age, but legacy that will never be forgotten.
Remembering the Rowdy Roddy Piper connection to the bloodline goes back to the infamous “Piper’s Pit” segment to where Superfly Jimmy Snuka was cracked in his coconut by a coconut from Piper himself. The significance being, Snuka was adopted into the family as was the blood oath between the Anoa’i family and Maivia family. Superfly Jimmy Snuka was known to hail from the Isle of Tonga, which was an island of warriors suited for war. One of which, is also another adopted member of the family, Haku. Of who was and is known as a legitimate fighter. Teaming with Andre The Giant and feuding with the likes of Hulk Hogan and Demolition and so forth. He then went on to WCW and became Meng. A vile, aggressive and near invincible savage, annihilating anyone in his path. He teamed with Barbarian, known as The Faces Of Fear. Haku or Meng, whichever you see him more as, has a continued legacy of his own, that is entrenched in the bloodline lineage. Moreso of which is pumping the blood in the bloodline today. As this goes on, you’ll see how everything is intertwined.
Fatu of the Headshrinkers is an exciting and complex member of the bloodline family. While he’s been through many gimmicks, the Sultan comes to mind as the complexity of his aura. He later became Rikishi, of which his popularity heightened with Tool Cool, Scotty 2 Hotty and Grand Master Sexay Brian “Not The King’s Son” Christopher, wink wink. The stoic, yet agile dancing machine once the glasses came on. Not only that, but he was as vile and vicious as they come, if not worse. He was “doing it for the Rock” and then doing it for the continued legacy of the family, as he had three sons, of whom are continuing it today. Being The Usos and Solo Sikoa. More of which to come.
Speaking of the intertwined lineage, Sika, Afas brother and uncle of Rikishi, reigned in his own legacy with his son Joe Anoa’i, known as Roman Reigns. Brother of the late great Matt Anoa’i, known as Rosey and kin to his late partner Jamaal, also known as The Samoan Bulldozer Umaga! Rosey and Jamaal started as the team of Three Minute Warning, brought in by Eric Bischoff as a hit squad for whomever he saw fit to take out. They ran roughshod for a while until they got repackaged. Rosey as The Hurricane’s tag partner and Jamaal as the aforementioned Umaga. Rosey became a fun loving super hero in training, teaming with Hurricane and Jamaal tearing up everything in his path as Umaga. Umaga has continued the legacy of his own as his son Zilla Fatu is making a name for himself in the Indies and soon to be in the WWE like his family.
As it’s been said, the bloodline intertwines and is so encompassing, that everything above has set forth the main focus on this piece and that is the war that has already been brewed and what is to come as the new chapter begins to perculate.
Roman Reigns owns the longest championship reign in modern history. Ranked behind Hulk Hogan at number four in the history books at 1316 days as champion. That started what the Bloodline has become today and is the main focal point of this whole piece, with extras intertwined within.
Roman Reigns started in FCW and much like The Great Kokina and Flex Kavana of the family, before the bloodline fame, he started with little fanfare. He had the look and the potential, but something hadn’t quite clicked yet. Earning his stripes, so to speak, working his way through developmental, Joe Anoa’i was destined for success. It’s as if it was pre-written and pre-destined to happen. Once he got his footing in and the foundation started in FCW, he began to rise, under the watchful eye of Dusty Rhodes in NXT. As his stock arose, it was only a matter of time before he reached the biggest stage.
Sierra
Hotel
India
Echo
Lima
Delta
Survivor Series, in the year 2012, three individuals made their shocking debut and began what would become one of the most influential and dangerous alliances in wrestling, known as The SHIELD.
Dean Ambrose
Seth Rollins
Roman Reigns
Collectively a formidable group, separately, changing professional wrestling in future years to come. They targeted the big dogs when they debuted. Ryback and John Cena at the time. Coming off a hot year of the Summer Of Punk the year before, this was the beginning of the changing of the guard for the new era in professional wrestling, not just in the WWE. The Shield’s most notable feud as a group was against the Wyatt Family, which is a bit appropriate, given the beginning of the reign was against Bray Wyatt himself. As they established themselves firmly together, there were cracks beginning to form in the core of the group. It all occurred, when The Authority came up with Plan B. That plan was Seth Rollins turning on his partners, more specifically, Roman Reigns.
It was the chair shot that transcended WWE into a new era and placated a new hierarchy in the main event scene. Dean Ambrose, eventually exited the stage left and went on his way, whilst Seth and Roman were cementing themselves and started a course and journey that spanned a decade, until it was rectified and history was made and then has kick started this new beginning that is now upon us.
Before we get there, let’s take a trip back and see how we got to this place. After Seth Rollins betrayed his brothers with that chair shot, he immediately rose his stock high and he was hitting the ground running. Whilst for Roman, it took a minute. Because he was a relative unknown, besides his family’s lineage, hadn’t quite made a name for himself, whereas Seth, had a following and was known before he came to FCW and WWE. Roman started getting his feet wet and carving a niche for himself as The Big Dog and as the crowd see-sawed with him, he eventually came into his own. That started after his feud with John Cena. Because during the feud with John, it brought out the potential from a character standpoint out of him, that he was lacking before and why The Big Dog, just didn’t connect as well as hoped. Enter, the Wiseman, Paul Heyman. Speaking of intertwining, it was Paul Heyman who managed the Samoan Swat Team back in the day, who developed a closeness and bond to the family throughout the years. So, as Paul Heyman enters the equation, after Roman Reigns returned in 2020, a weird year, not just in wrestling, but for everything and everyone in general, he defeated Braun Stroman and The Fiend in the Triple Threat Match in the Thunderdome Era of WWE, to become the NEW Universal Champion and begun what was the longest modern day reign in wrestling history.
As Roman made changes to his demeanor and character, Paul Heyman was pulling the rest of his potential out and Roman started showing, what was known since he started in WWE, that he was ready for that destination of success in the island of relevancy that has become synonymous with WWE today.
Meanwhile as Roman grew and morphed into what he is today, his cousins, the Usos, made a name for themselves as well. Getting out of the shadows of their father and etching in history their own legacy as the longest reigning tag team champions in history. They went from the face painted Island Boys to who they are and that’s one of the greatest tag teams of all time. Jimmy and Jey Uso, really got going once they solidified The Uso Penitentiary and extended their true selves into their characters. Jimmy is the older brother, technically, looking out for his brother, Jey, who seems the older one by demeanor. While they made a name for themselves and Roman himself, it was destined that the family was meant to come together.
The Official Birth Of The Bloodline
After a war between Jey and Roman, as Jimmy was injured, in hell in a cell, the family became one, hesitantly at first, but then they became one. It’s the old adage, we can fight each other, but no one else can. It’s the war within that brought them together. The three men ran roughshod over the WWE. Feuding with the likes of Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, Randy Orton, AJ Styles, LA Knight and so on, those just to name a few, the bloodline grew in popularity and became the cool bad guys to root for. They were on top of the mountain for quite some time. They added to the ranks even. The Usos little brother, Solo Sikoa. He became the enforcer of the group, the family and the updated lineage.
The Bloodline was The Standard for a long time. Until the standard, started forming cracks, just as the Shield did. Even though for the longest, Jimmy was originally against being in the Bloodline and Jey for it, because blood is thicker, it flipped a bit, well, it flipped 180, because of the Honorary Uce, Sami Zayn. Jimmy was cool with Sami Zayn, but Jey didn’t trust him. In what, became the best carnation of the Bloodline, everyone was feeling ucey at the waffle house ‘wink wink’ and it started the melting of the bloodline to what is beginning to evolve into the current carnation.
Survivor Series in 2022, Sami Zayn proves himself to Jey Uso, but then started causing ripples into the family afterwards. Leading into WrestleMania 39. Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn, after their on and off friendship and brotherhood, took down the longest tag team title reign of the Usos and then the ripples from the cracks began to flow in the Bloodline. Roman after successfully defeating Cody Rhodes at the same event, albeit with Solo’s help, he started blaming Jey for everything, the failures and so on and Solo was ready to take Jey out, but Jimmy protected his little brother for as long as he could. Speaking of the 180 flip, Jimmy wanted to protect Jey and he did as he super kicked Roman at Night Of Champions, after Roman and Solo Sikoa failed to recapture the tag team titles to bring it back to the Bloodline, which blew everyone’s mind. It sent shockwaves throughout the WWE universe and weeks after weeks of trying to figure out why, Roman was ready to eject Jimmy from the bloodline, but as tensions mounted and Roman was about to have Solo finish Jimmy off, Jey followed suit, shortly thereafter as he emphasized his exit from the Bloodline as well, as he super kicked Roman as well. This in turn led to Usos versus Roman & Solo at Money In The Bank 2023. The Bloodline seemingly imploding from within, tensions created by the former honorary uce, this internal civil war was one for the ages. The two teams, bonded by blood, at war with each other by circumstance, these two teams fought long and fought hard. Tooth for tooth and nail by nail.
Jey pinned Roman, giving Roman’s first pinfall defeat since Baron Corbin in 2019, during the Big Dog days. Which boosted up Jey’s status even further up the food chain and echelon of the WWE. You think this match would have settled everything? Well, you’d have thought wrong if so. Because at Summer Slam of 2003, Jey got a shot against Roman in a Tribal Combat match for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. As the tensions went to an all time peak and blood was spilled, Roman prevailed victoriously against Jey Uso. Surprisingly with the help of an unlikely source. His own blood, his own twin, Jimmy Uso. In which we thought the two were firmly together against Roman and Solo, Jimmy changed the question, when we all thought we had the answer. Months passed by and were on the road to WrestleMania 40. Jimmy dodging Jey, Jey’s stock rising meteorically and the road to WrestleMania straight on fire.
With a lot changed from a year prior, WrestleMania 40 was SIGNIFICANTLY different and with the return of The Rock and Solo, with Jimmy in tow, Roman and the Bloodline was stronger than ever. Cody won the Royal Rumble, for the second straight year, he was originally out of the championship match, but after some questionable actions from The Rock and Roman, Cody chose Roman, instead of Seth Rollins for his championship match at WrestleMania 40. Not only that, but Jey Uso, established himself on his own as Main Event Jey Uso, took on his own twin and he defeated Jimmy and got a measure of revenge on him. As the night progressed, Cody competed against Roman in a Bloodline Rules Match, where anything goes and it most definitely did, with everyone and everything happening, Cody defeated and dethroned Roman Reigns, ending his historical championship reign and closing this chapter of the Bloodline Story.
When one chapter ends, another one begins and the current chapter is being thrown at us like a blazing ball of fire. Remember Haku aka Meng, from earlier? Well, in this chapter, his offspring and his continued legacy has entered the story. Tama Tonga and Tonga Loa, both of Hakus sons have joined Solo Sikoa in a revamped, mob style version of the Bloodline. Solo Sikoa vows to make Bloodline evermore strong and will hold the fort down, until Roman comes back.
However, what will it be like when he comes back?
Stay Tuned!!!!
I have no doubt, this story is going to be one for the all time ages, once it’s all said and done, but really, the biggest thing about this family tree is this, beyond the stories, beyond the wrestling, this family tree, this Bloodline has impacted professional wrestling for years and years and will keep the family strong in wrestling forever.
Other wrestlers have been made into household names, main event talent and talent that will be entrenched into the hall of fame for years to come. Names such as Bret Hart, Owen Hart, Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, AJ Styles, Randy Orton and even their own family, Roman Reigns, Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso, along with Solo Sikoa have all become transcending names in wrestling because of the family tree and its lineage. The biggest being The Rock. From the 70s and 80s to the 90s and to now, the Bloodline will forever be intertwined and the most important to professional wrestling as a whole. And we haven’t seen anything yet!