Bully Ray had high praise for the opening segment of this week’s WWE Raw, arguing that Roman Reigns not only elevated the legacy of The Bloodline but also firmly established Jacob Fatu as a major player.
Speaking on Busted Open Radio, Bully said his favorite part of the segment was Roman’s acknowledgment of the Anoaʻi family’s history in WWE.
“When Roman started talking about Afa and Sika and Yokozuna and Rikishi and he started naming it, it’s almost like the floodgates got opened and all the memories come rushing back. This is not about the modern-day Bloodline. This is about the Bloodline period. We have been here from day one.”
Bully explained that hearing those names reframed the storyline and reminded fans of the family’s decades-long influence.
“The Bloodline became even bigger to me last night than it ever has because of being reminded. We might have been reminded of it in the past, but it didn’t resonate with me like it resonated last night. Hearing Roman mention Afa and Sika and Yokozuna and Rikishi… the credibility of an Afa and Sika, the credibility of a Yokozuna… it’s like the Samoan family has run the gamut in the WWE of being at every level and the be-all and end-all.”
He also pointed to Roman’s comments about future generations carrying on the family legacy.
“When he says, ‘Jacob, one day when your son is tagging with my son and they continue it on,’ it’s like, wow. It brings it all together and shows you just how much this Samoan dynasty, this Samoan Bloodline, this Anoaʻi family has meant to WWE.”
Bully was equally complimentary of how WWE positioned Jacob Fatu throughout the segment, saying Roman finally found the type of enforcer he had been looking for.
“Jacob Fatu is a major player. If you didn’t think so, go back and watch that opening segment from last night. Roman… is like, ‘Hey, this whole time as they were trying to bring him in… I don’t want somebody that’s just going to fall into line. If this is going to be my right-hand man, I need somebody that’s going to truly be a heater for me. I need somebody that’s going to be by my side when things get tough. And I need somebody that’s unhinged.’”
Bully summed up Roman’s symbolic gesture toward Fatu with one memorable line.
“Roman Reigns gave Jacob Fatu his balls back last night. Forget anything that we’ve seen previously. That gesture by Roman Reigns last night meant everything to Jacob Fatu.”
Reflecting on the entire angle, Bully said WWE succeeded in making both the Bloodline and Jacob Fatu feel more important than ever.
“If Roman’s been looking for that right-hand man this entire time, he’s finally found it in Jacob Fatu.”
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