Zilla Fatu says he felt the presence of his late father, Umaga, during his WWE NXT debut.
Fatu became the latest member of the Bloodline family to join WWE when he made his NXT debut last week. During an appearance on Booker T’s Hall of Fame podcast, the 26-year-old reflected on the moment and how he approached his first appearance for the company.
“I already knew what time it was. As long as they called the play, I ran it. I did exactly what was told and I put my flavor on it. I put my flavor on it and we did it like that and we had fun,” Fatu said.
Before heading out, however, Fatu took a moment to say a prayer and said he could feel his father with him. Umaga passed away in 2009 when Fatu was still young.
“Right before I went out, I just said a quick prayer to myself. And I knew my dad was there, because I felt him. I felt him. And right before I went out, it was just — it just happened. I don’t even know how to express it. The slide in, everything I did.”
Fatu also recalled looking toward Booker T before entering the ring.
“And then right before I slid in, I looked at Book. I seen him. I was like, ‘Okay, yup, yup.’ As long as he’s looking, we good. But other than that, I couldn’t explain it. Man, it’s a memory I’ll never forget. I’m ready to start this new journey, And like I said, you guys better buckle up. It’s going to be a long ride.”
Booker T responded by saying he knows Umaga is looking down on his son and is “so freaking happy” for him.
Fatu began his wrestling career under Booker T at Reality of Wrestling after serving six years in prison for armed robbery. The two eventually parted ways following some differences, but they later reconciled, with Booker T becoming an advocate for WWE signing Fatu.
Booker T explained that he was particularly demanding of Fatu because of the potential he saw in him. He also noted some similarities between their respective backgrounds, including being “rambunctious” and “rebellious” in their younger years and losing their fathers early in life.
“I was hard on Zilla, man. I was hard on that kid because I could see he had so much potential,” Booker T said. “But he had to believe in himself, and he had to get other people to believe in him. He had to get people to trust him.”
Booker T said he’s proud of the progress Fatu has made and believes the sky is the limit for him as he begins the next chapter of his career in WWE.
