Roman Reigns’ heel turn in 2020 gave birth to his iconic Tribal Chief character. The character change resulted in a story that has been an integral part of WWE television for years. The OTC turned into a leader of the Anoa’i family and formed The Bloodline.
In the process, Reigns has been acknowledged as The Tribal Chief by several stars. Some did it willingly, while others were forced to do so. In this listicle, we will look at seven WWE stars who have acknowledged Roman Reigns.
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#7. Jey Uso
Jey Uso was the first WWE Superstar to acknowledge Roman Reigns as the Tribal Chief. The moment came shortly after their Hell in a Cell “I Quit” Match in October 2020. During the match, Reigns forced Jey to quit in order to protect an injured Jimmy Uso. Following the loss, The YEET Master was forced to fall in line.
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On the next episode of SmackDown, Jey told Reigns that he understood him and officially acknowledged him as the Tribal Chief. He then followed Roman’s instructions and attacked Daniel Bryan later that night.
This began Jey’s run as the OTC’s Right Hand Man. Main Event Jey has become an integral part of The Bloodline’s story.
#6. Paul Heyman
Paul Heyman was the first person to align with Roman Reigns during the Tribal Chief era. The alliance was revealed on the August 28, 2020, episode of SmackDown. Roman Reigns was preparing to sign the contract for his Universal Championship match at Payback when the camera revealed Heyman sitting beside him.
The partnership became official that night. On the following episode of SmackDown, Heyman explained his role. He stated that he was not Reigns’ manager or advocate. Instead, he introduced himself as the Special Counsel to the Tribal Chief.
#5. Jimmy Uso
Jimmy Uso was one of the last members of the original Bloodline to acknowledge Roman Reigns. Jimmy initially resisted Roman’s attempts to bring him into the group after returning from injury.
For weeks, Jimmy openly questioned Reigns’ leadership. He even criticized Jey for following Roman and made it clear that he was not interested in becoming part of the Tribal Chief’s inner circle. However, the OTC continued to manipulate both twins.
Eventually, Jimmy changed his stance. On the June 18, 2021, episode of SmackDown, Big Jim approached Roman Reigns and admitted that while he did not agree with everything Reigns had done, he acknowledged him for the sake of the family.
#4. Sami Zayn
Sami Zayn acknowledged Roman Reigns in April 2022. Unlike most members of The Bloodline, however, Sami was not part of the Anoa’i family.
At the time, the Canadian star was looking for allies and protection on SmackDown. That eventually led him to Paul Heyman and Roman Reigns. Sami approached The Tribal Chief to ask for help with his issues involving Drew McIntyre. During the interaction, he made it clear that he viewed Reigns as the Head of the Table and officially acknowledged him.
That moment proved to be significant. It marked the beginning of Sami’s association with The Bloodline and eventually led to his role as the Honorary Uce. Over the following months, Zayn developed a close bond with Jey and Jimmy Uso and became one of the most entertaining parts of the faction.
#3. Solo Sikoa
Solo Sikoa officially acknowledged Roman Reigns in September 2022. The Enforcer had made his main roster debut earlier that month at Clash at the Castle, helping Reigns retain the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship against Drew McIntyre.
A few weeks later, Solo was formally welcomed into The Bloodline on SmackDown. During the segment, Sikoa explained that he had originally been sent by the family elders. However, he made it clear that his role had changed since joining Roman’s side.
Solo then grabbed the microphone and directly acknowledged Reigns as his Tribal Chief. The moment officially cemented his place within The Bloodline. From that point onward, Sikoa became the faction’s enforcer and regularly carried out Roman’s orders during the group’s dominant run.
#2. The Rock
The Rock acknowledged Roman Reigns on the March 1, 2024, episode of SmackDown. The moment came shortly after The Great One aligned himself with The Bloodline and embraced his Final Boss character. At the time, the megastars were involved in a rivalry with Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins heading into WrestleMania 40.
Before the segment could end, Reigns stopped his cousin and reminded him that there was still one thing left to do. Roman then asked The Great One to acknowledge him.
The request caught many fans by surprise. After a brief pause, The Final Boss removed his sunglasses, looked directly at Reigns, and acknowledged him as his Tribal Chief. The two men then shook hands and embraced in the ring.
#1. Jacob Fatu has acknowledged Roman Reigns
Jacob Fatu became the latest WWE Superstar to acknowledge Roman Reigns following their Tribal Combat match at Clash in Italy. The stipulation was simple: the loser would have to fall in line, serve the winner, and publicly acknowledge them.
At Clash in Italy, Reigns defeated Fatu to retain the World Heavyweight Championship. The following night on RAW in Turin, WWE held an acknowledgment ceremony, in which Fatu acknowledged Reigns as his Tribal Chief before dropping to one knee and extending his hand in submission.
Edited by Parth Pujara
