Zilla Fatu made his official WWE debut on this week’s NXT, but many fans had expected Umaga’s son to show up directly on the main roster, particularly given his ties to The Bloodline.
According to False Finish, however, WWE never planned to bring Fatu in that way. From the earliest conversations, the plan was always for him to start in NXT, following essentially the same path as Solo Sikoa.
“Zilla Fatu was always expected to start in #WWENXT just like Solo Sikoa did.”
Sikoa spent roughly a year in NXT before making his main roster debut in 2022, when he interfered in the Roman Reigns vs. Drew McIntyre match at Clash at the Castle and immediately joined The Bloodline.
The first signs of Zilla’s arrival in WWE surfaced back in June, when Fightful Select reported that he had been spotted at the Performance Center in Orlando and that the company’s interest in signing him had recently picked up.
Just days before his debut, Fatu wrapped up his run with House of Glory. On August 7, he dropped the HOG Crown Jewel Championship to Amazing Red and received an in-ring sendoff.
On the August 11 NXT, WWE wasted no time putting him in a prominent spot. Fatu interrupted the Grayson Waller vs. Cruz Montana match, laid out both men, and closed the show staring down NXT Champion Tony D’Angelo.