Jacob Fatu On Where He Sits At The Anao'i Family Table

On a recent episode of The Wrestling Inc. Daily, Wrestling Inc. Managing Editor Nick Hausman sat down with current and longest-reigning MLW World Heavyweight Champion "The Samoan Werewolf" Jacob Fatu. Fatu is part of the legendary Anao'i family.

His father is Sam Fatu a.k.a. Tonga Kid and his uncles are WWE Hall of Famer Rikishi and the late Umaga. Hausman asked Fatu what it was like for him to grow up in a pro wrestling family.

"Well, I've always been a fan, and I was a fan through that era being young [and] being around the wrestling business. This was when my uncle Yoko was there, when he was the champion throughout the '90s," Fatu recalled. "I was also there at WrestleMania 12. I was actually a fan throughout the '90s. It was cool. I've never thought about wrestling at all, but I was just so thankful.

"It was just so cool running up to the wrestlers, get a picture, come home and just hang them all up all throughout the rooms, but it was just cool to go out there but not really knowing what I was actually around, knowing that other people actually kill and die just to want to be around and see what we were seeing as young kids growing up in the wrestling business. But other than that, it was good. You also saw the good, the bad and the ugly, but other than that, it was a lot of good times."

Currently on NBC, Young Rock is airing featuring the life of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. Fatu said he has watched the series, and he talked about what the series not only means to him but other Samoans.

"Yeah, absolutely, I was just watching it actually yesterday. I love it," Fatu expressed. "It's good. It's crazy, the characters are spot-on. My uncles, Afa [and] Sika, Junkyard Dog, Sheik so it's really cool man. As a young Samoan – Polynesian cat coming up, it's just good for our people period. It's good to see Samoan actors on there and for them to speak the language, our language, on NBC. Come on baby. This is daily. It's very good, and I know our people are very very happy for that."

Hausman asked if The Rock has reached out to him during his record-setting title reign in MLW. Fatu spoke on growing up with The Rock and how close he is with the family.

"No, he hasn't, but you know what, I will always remember The Rock. Those Gucci shirts, the way he dresses, that's not a gimmick," Fatu revealed. "That's really him. That was him back in the day. The Rock was the very first person I've seen have a stack of hundreds, but check this out man, he was also a very nice cat as well. I will never forget, he always knew our names.

"Every time he came to Sacramento, CA, he always knew our name and always showed us love especially during the house shows. Sit us front-row, throw us his elbow pad. It was unconditional with him. He's always a great guy. I remember one time, I was asking him to sign 8 x 10's while he was in his towel fresh out the shower. He's a good dude. Shout out to The Rock."

WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns has proclaimed himself "the head of the table" of the Anao'i family. Fatu's first cousin Jey Uso currently presides of The Island of Relevancy sitting underneath Reigns during his title run. Hausman asked Fatu where he currently sits at the Anao'i family table.

"To answer that truthfully, where I sit at the table is just playing my position and playing my role at that time," Fatu explained. "If everybody just plays their position [and] plays their roles within the family, this legacy could go on. Not only that but we could do great things, and I think it's kind of cool having my Big Dog, and Jimmy and Jey out there in WWE.

"Me in MLW. You got my brother Lance all around, but where I sit at the table, I think I actually created another part of the table that's not actually connected to the table but is connected to the table. But can't nobody really sit on this side of the table besides me. But it's all love. At the end of the day, we're all busting down. We all eating together at the same table."

You can find Fatu every Wednesday night as part of MLW Fusion. For more information on how to watch please visit www.MLW.com! You can find the full audio and video for Fatu's interview below. Calvin Tankman will be our guest tomorrow on The Wrestling Inc. Daily.