How is Umaga related to Roman Reigns? All you need to know about their relationship

Between 2005 and 2009, a vicious force named Umaga dominated the WWE roster. While he had made his debut for the promotion in 2001, the Samoan wrestler left in 2003 and returned better than ever two years later. However, on December 4, 2009, the iconic wrestler sadly passed away.

While his death was tragic for the world of professional wrestling, his legacy continues to live, particularly through his relatives. One such relative of the legendary wrestler, who is doing extremely well in the Stafmford-based promotion, is former Undisputed WWE Champion Roman Reigns.

For those unaware, Reigns and Umaga are cousins. The latter was born to Vera and Solofa Fatu, and it was his mother who was the sister of The Wild Samoans (Afa Anoa'i and Sika Anoa'i). It's worth noting that Reigns is Sikas' son.

You can take a detailed look at the Anoa'i Family Tree in the video below:

Despite being related, Roman Reigns didn't get the opportunity to share the ring with his cousin. As mentioned above, he tragically passed away in 2009, and Reigns signed a developmental contract with WWE in 2010. However, it was in 2012 that he made his main roster debut as a member of The Shield.

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Roman Reigns credits WWE legend Umaga for being the 'fuel' for him

Those who have followed Roman Reigns' career in the last three years know that he has cemented his place in WWE as a Hall of Famer. From one of the longest World Championship runs in modern-day wrestling to becoming the face of the company when the world was dealing with a pandemic, Reigns has done it all.

When one looks at the Original Tribal Chief's family tree, it's not surprising that he has achieved so much success because he has inspiration wherever he looks. One such man who inspired Reigns and the other wrestlers in his family was the late WWE legend Umaga.

In a previous interview, Roman Reigns detailed the former Intercontinental Champion's influence and mentioned that the late wrestler was a fuel for all. The former Undisputed WWE Universal Champion said:

"Everything revolves around my cousin Umaga. At that time, when I was in college, he was a great WWE Superstar. He passed away too soon, but he was the fuel for all of us." (h/t Super Luchas)

While it's sad Reigns could not share the ring with his iconic cousin, the former might have the opportunity to share the ring with his son. Zilla Fatu, the 25-year-old son of Umaga, is currently pursuing a career in professional wrestling, and if things go well, it won't be surprising to see him compete in WWE.