Roman Reigns suffered a huge personal loss on Tuesday, June 25, as his father, the legendary Sika Anoa’i, passed away. Alongside being The Tribal Chief’s father, Sika was a veteran of the professional wrestling industry, as he was one-half of The Wild Samoans, which was an iconic team in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Even though Roman‘s father retired from in-ring competition a long time ago, he was still active in the industry, as he and Afa Anoa’i used to run The Wild Samoan Training Facility for youngsters. Due to his contributions to the industry, the entire community is remembering him, and his last WWE appearance has been going viral across social media.
The WWE Hall of Famer’s last appearance in the company was at the Hell in a Cell event in 2020, as he and Afa acknowledged Roman Reigns as the head of their family. It happened after Roman defeated Jey Uso at the special event in an extraordinary “I Quit” match. As Reigns was leaving the arena after the victory, he was greeted by his elders.
It was his own father, Sika Anoa’i, and Sika’s tag team partner, Afa Anoa’i, who conferred The Bloodline Leader’s status at the head of the family table upon him. Due to the kind of importance that moment had for the family and the way it gave Roman Reigns an unforgettable memory with this dad, it was truly one of the most memorable moments of his entire reign with the WWE Championship.
Sika Anoa’i’s last WWE appearance was the start of Roman Reigns’ historic run
Those who had the privilege of watching the extraordinary interaction between Roman and his father at Hell in a Cell 2020 know how great that moment was. In fact, that appearance, which eventually ended up being Sika Anoa’i’s last WWE appearance, was the start of Roman Reigns’ historic run in the organization.
It was only after the father-son duo’s special moment on that night that The Head of the Table became a thing, as Reigns became one of the greatest ever champions in the company’s history. As Sika and Afa Anoa’i greeted The Bloodline Leader and embraced him as the head of the legendary Anoa’i family, the megastar did an extraordinary job.
The Tribal Chief went on to become the biggest name in the Triple H-led promotion and had a 1316-day title reign. Even though Roman lost the title at WrestleMania 40, the kind of legacy he established in that run is something that has itched him in the history books forever. He has been away from WWE since The Show of Shows, and it seems like that’s going to be the case for some more time after the passing of his father.
Roman Reigns shares an emotional message after his father’s demise
The Bloodline Leader hasn’t been seen since his loss at WrestleMania XL, but Roman Reigns shared an emotional message after his father’s demise. Anyone would be emotional at losing their father, and it’s evident from Roman’s latest tweet that he’s also in a state of deep pain after the death of Sika Anoa’i.
Sharing a heartwarming message after the passing of his father, The Head of the Table thanked the wrestling community for the support they’ve been showing on the internet. Reigns also talked about the void this loss has left in their family and expressed how he and his sisters would try their best to represent the legacy that has been left by their father.
This statement from the wrestling sensation clearly shows that Roman Reigns is shaken by this huge loss. But it also showcases how he is determined to carry on Sika’s legacy and make him even more proud through his WWE career. Due to this tragic loss, it’s understandable that the Stamford-based promotion might be delaying plans around Roman’s return, and it remains to be seen what’s next for his career in the organization.