Zilla Fatu is a rising independent talent who has the potential to become a great WWE star. There have been significant setbacks for Zilla, but everyone who has seen his work recognizes his promise.
While speaking on the “Off The Top” podcast, Rikishi expressed his opinion on whether Zilla Fatu is ready to join the WWE:
“As an Uncle, I think there’s a lot more potential that Zilla has to bring to the table for himself. The kid, I don’t think he’s reached his best potential yet, hasn’t found his extra talent that he can bring to the ring. The only way to find that is to stay consistent out there in the independent circuit. You gotta keep doing it. You don’t learn this stuff overnight. While he’s out there, he’s staying busy, and while he’s staying busy, I’ll see the growth of Zilla.”
“He texts me. We keep in touch and so forth. I only give my advice when asked. I like to let the boys kind of find themselves, and, you know, find out for themselves. They’re grown, young adults. They’re not kids. He’ll be able to find it. He’s got a lot more to find about himself in the squared circle. He’s charismatic. We already see that. He’s in good shape. You can’t be good in the ring and not be just as good outside the ring. You gotta be able to control both of those and have hands on it. I don’t know who surrounds my nephew when he’s on his own out there in the independent circuit, but that can play another factor too. There’s this young kid that’s out there that’s in the business, and he’s finding his way in the independent circuit, and all of a sudden, like this is what I said before, right? Whether it’s him or anybody in KnokX Pro students, before nobody knew who you were. Now, all of a sudden, you’re on top of the world on the independent circuit. You can easily, if you’re not aware of all that stuff, you can get caught up with all that, and people can see the difference whether you’re progressing in a good way or you’re progressing in a way to where it’s going to come back and bite you in the ass. So hopefully he’s aware who’s around him. Hopefully he’ll stay consistent at Booker’s School in Houston. If you don’t learn anything from Booker, then you’re not listening. You know what I mean? That’s all the students that go to Booker’s school. It’s not even explanatory what this guy has done and what he knows about the business. So let’s see. Let’s pray that Zilla gets it and he understands his purpose. When I saw him last, I told him that this wrestling thing is bigger than you. It’s bigger than me. It’s what you do with the platform while you’re in this game. So we’ll see. You guys continue to pray for him.”
On Lance Anoa’i signing with NXT:
“I’m so proud of my nephew. Lance has put in the work for a minute, you know what I mean? He’s been out there in the independent circuit. He’s been ready. Finally now, the company has seen fit to sign Lance up. Injuries take a play in this entertainment sport of ours. You can be ready and get ready to come and who knows? You know, tweak your knee, and now you gotta have knee surgery, or your shoulder or whatever the case may be. But you know, very happy that Lance is onto the next journey of his life in professional wrestling.”
(h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription)
