‘It’s my job to show I can hold my own. I’m with my family, so that makes it a whole lot easier.’
The Anoa’i family wrestling dynasty has its newest star.
Joseph Yokozuna Fatu is coming into his own as Solo Sikoa, perfectly capturing his role as the enforcer of The Bloodline.
The younger brother of Jimmy and Jey Uso, son of WWE Hall of Famer Rikishi, and cousin of Roman Reigns, his bloodline in pro wrestling is more reality than story line. Once Sikoa completed his football career, he followed his elders into the family business—where he is flourishing.
“I’m supposed to be here,” says Sikoa, 29. “I’m not going to run away from something I was born to do. Roman was born to be champion. The Usos were born to be the greatest tag-team champions. We were born to do this. Now we’re doing it for real.”
After paying his dues on the indies for three years, Sikoa signed a WWE contract in the summer of 2021 and began appearing on-screen for NXT that October. His main-roster debut took place in September at Clash at the Castle, protecting Reigns and preventing him from losing to Drew McIntyre. Ever since, he has played an integral role in The Bloodline story arc, particularly with Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens.
Sikoa wrestled Owens in back-to-back weeks, opening Raw last week and closing it this past Monday in a Street Fight. He was victorious against Owens this week, which is an important part of the story—Sikoa benefited from backup, as Jimmy and Jey Uso delivered a beatdown on Owens during the match. Owens was outnumbered—illustrating how he needs Zayn as his partner. Credit belongs to all those involved for telling this story in a patient, detailed manner, and, despite being the youngest member of a very seasoned ensemble, Sikoa is keeping up with his peers.
“It’s my job to show I can hold my own,” says Sikoa. “I’m with my family, so that makes it a whole lot easier.”
A key element of Sikoa’s evolution is his homage to the great Umaga, a beloved family member who died in 2009. Umaga was a second father to The Usos and Sikoa, and his influence is clearly visible in the way Sikoa projects himself on camera.
“The heavy machinery, the juggernaut, that’s who I am,” says Sikoa. “I want that fight—anytime, anywhere. Umaga wasn’t scared to fight anyone. Neither am I.”
Sikoa embraces the physicality. As a younger sibling, he intimately understands what it takes to stand up for himself, and he never shies away from an altercation.
“This is nothing compared to our family cookouts,” says Sikoa. “If there’s no more chicken on the grill, somebody’s about to get beat up.”
There is a certain reality pervasive in Sikoa’s work. It does not feel like he is playing a character, but rather harnessing his life’s work each week when he steps into the ring. Whether he is silent and stoic or aggressive, he is putting his heart and soul into honoring an industry that has long provided for his family.
“We spend more time on the freeways than we do at home,” says Sikoa. “We spend more time at the airport. This is the deep end. That’s this life. You’re going to feel every punch. Every kick, every Samoan drop. This is my life.”
Justin Barrasso can be reached at JBarrasso@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @JustinBarrasso.
