Why Anoa’i Bloodline Family Member Left WWE Hall Of Famer’s Promotion

WWE

Following on from comments from Booker T confirming the exit of Anoa’i family member Zilla Fatu from Booker’s Reality of Wrestling promotion, Fatu himself has addressed the reasoning for the decision.

Speaking on his Hall of Fame podcast Booker T stated that Fatu was no longer working with him in ROW, citing “irreconcilable differences” between the two being the reason.

The news was a surprise as Fatu had only begun working with ROW in late 2022, and only made his in-ring debut in July 2023.

Giving some insight into the parting of ways between he and ROW, Fatu spoke with Apples & Grapes, where he revealed that there was no ill-will behind the decision on either side.

Fatu explained:

“It’s all love. It’s all respect. I still want to see Booker T and his school thrive. For me, it was just my vision was different.

“Me and Book, we already had a conversation and some things can’t work. My vision and his vision, what he had lined up, it just didn’t connect.

“We parted ways, respectfully, we’re still on good terms. It’s not like, ‘I don’t want to see you win no more.’ It’s all love. I have to go this way, he has to go this way.

“Everybody has to understand that everybody has different ways to the top. That’s all I can speak on that. I still want to see them win.

“Shoutout to Book, shoutout to Reality of Wrestling, if you’re in Houston, go tap in with them. I appreciate Book and everything his school did for me.

“I’m so grateful for the trainers and individuals that are over there. It was definitely a friendly and structured environment.

“His vision and my vision just didn’t line up and mesh together. I’m doing my own thing, one day at a time.” 

Fatu then brought up Booker’s history working with the Anoa’i family, including his close relationship with his late-father Umaga, revealing that the personal ties made the decision to part ways that much tougher.

Fatu continued:

“He’s a legend. He’s been doing this longer than I’ve been alive. On a personal note, he was close to my pops. Reality of Wrestling, that’s where the Usos started.

“My pops didn’t have no other school in mind other than Reality of Wrestling, for them to go to. He didn’t have another school in mind. He had Reality of Wrestling set for them.

“Booker has been tied in with my family for a long time. It kind of sucked to part ways because of that. You never want to bring personal relationships and business together. I found that out the wrong way.

“Love and respect for him, I still want to see them win. I’m just doing my own thing, enjoying the process. No hate in my heart towards him or anybody. There is a lot of money and opportunities.”

While many fans expect Fatu to end up alongside his fellow Bloodline family members in WWE eventually, he first seems to want to carve his own path on the independents, revealing on Instagram on August 31 that he would begin taking outside bookings.

Transcript courtesy of Fightful

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• Zilla Fata
• Bloodline
• Reality of Wrestling
• Booker T

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