WWE Hall of Famer Rikishi offered an unfiltered analysis of the current state of The Bloodline storyline on the latest episode of his “Rikishi Fatu Off The Top” podcast, touching on everything from Solo Sikoa’s title reign to Jacob Fatu’s stalled momentum, The Usos’ reunion, and the potential future leadership of the faction.
Rikishi began by discussing Solo Sikoa’s recent United States Championship loss to Sami Zayn, questioning the creative decisions made during his son’s reign.
“Did we really, really give Solo something?” Rikishi asked. “When he won the strap, what did we do? What did the booking committee do? What did the company do?”
He implied that WWE may not have maximized Solo’s potential during his run, pointing out that while the family’s talent is undeniable, the final calls are always “about business and the bag.”
The conversation then shifted to Jacob Fatu, whose red-hot debut was followed by an unexplained month-long absence from TV after his SummerSlam cage match with Solo. Rikishi was critical of the decision to halt his momentum:
“What would happen to Jacob? Jacob comes out, he’s steaming. They got everything behind him. They just lighting this kid up on fire. Everything they threw at this kid, he came correct… and all of a sudden, poof, like a Houdini move.”
Fatu recently returned to SmackDown by attacking Drew McIntyre, and Rikishi urged WWE to go all-in on his push, praising his versatility and untapped star power.
“No doubt Jacob can work with anybody, absolutely anybody. If it’s done right again, this kid here has got talent… I still don’t think they have booked him with the right people and lit gasoline up behind him. It’s just been little teases… You can see the top of the hill, but you ain’t got over yet. He should be in the house having some sweet tea by now.”
On the reunion of his sons, The Usos, Rikishi described it as both an emotional moment for fans and a major money-maker for WWE. He highlighted how the team’s charisma transcends wrestling audiences, with their classic “Day One Ish” chants now blending seamlessly with Jey Uso’s “Yeet” catchphrase.
“It’s a beautiful thing for the fans and a cash cow for the company… They’re in high demand across all forms of media because of their connection to that urban life.”
However, the most intriguing part of the interview came when Rikishi addressed speculation about Jey Uso potentially becoming the next Tribal Chief. The speculation intensified after Roman Reigns’ recent return to Raw, where he embraced Jey and whispered something in his ear.
Rikishi was deliberately cryptic about what’s next:
“That’s going to be a story to follow very, very close, because there’s so many twists and turns. Something is about ready to blow up. And it might be Bloodline 2026.”
He concluded by suggesting that WWE is carefully gauging audience reactions before committing to the next major phase of the faction’s saga — hinting that the next era of The Bloodline could be the most explosive yet.
