Court Bauer Announces MLW Has Signed The Rock's Cousin
Court Bauer, owner of Major League Wrestling (MLW), confirmed a new signee today who happens to be a member of one of wrestling's most famous families.
"We've just signed Lance Anoa'i," Bauer said on SiriusXM's Busted Open Radio. "Lance is the son of Samu, the cousin of The Rock, cousin of Roman Reigns, and he's a third-generation wrestler. Grandfather's Afa Anoa'i, and he's part of our new era of Samoan Swat Team with Fatu and Big Juicy."
Lance Anoa'i initially made his debut for MLW in March 2018, when he competed against MJF at the Spring Break event. Sporadic appearances then followed for the 30-year-old, but he has now agreed official terms with the company ahead of their next major event at the Melrose Ballroom.
The Anoa'i family has been involved in professional wrestling as far back as the early 1960s, when "High Chief" Peter Maivia rose to prominence, as did his future adopted son-in-law, Rocky Johnson. Both legends' contributions towards the sport were ultimately recognized when they were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2008 by none other than The Rock himself, who is Johnson's son.
The family's footprint in the business accelerated thanks to Afa and Sika, better known as the legendary tag team the Wild Samoans, who made a splash in various promotions, including the World Wrestling Federation, from the 1970s to the 1990s. Other notable members of the family over the years include former WWF Champion Yokozuna, Rikishi, Rosey, Umaga, the Tonga Kid, and L.A. Smooth. In the modern era, the Anoa'i legacy continues to evolve, with "The Tribal Chief" Roman Reigns currently on top of the WWE mountain as the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion, with his cousins Jimmy and Jey Uso by his side as the reigning "Raw" and "SmackDown" Tag Team Champions.
The dynasty is also stronger than ever outside the world of WWE, including Jacob Fatu, who held the MLW World Heavyweight Championship for 819 days — though, COVID-19 restrictions prevented him from defending the gold for a good chunk of that time.
If you use any quotes from this article, please credit SiriusXM's Busted Open Radio with a h/t to Wrestling Inc for the transcription.