Bully Ray Says He Warned Fans About The Bloodline 10 Years Ago

The Bloodline has once again become a major talking point in WWE, and a viral moment involving Bully Ray from a decade ago has resurfaced following the arrival of Zilla Fatu.

Bully Ray, also known as Bubba Ray Dudley, recently responded to an old clip from WWE’s past in which he humorously referenced the enormous extended family behind The Usos. Ray suggested that he had already warned fans about the depth of the Samoan wrestling family years before The Bloodline became one of WWE’s most dominant factions.

Bully Ray’s viral Bloodline prediction from 2016

During an episode of Main Event in 2016, Bully Ray teamed with D-Von Dudley and Alberto Del Rio against The Usos and Cesaro in a six-man tag team match.

During the contest, Ray dedicated punches to members of the real-life Anoa’i family, including Rikishi, The Rock and Peter Maivia. He then made a memorable joke about The Usos having 97 cousins.

The comment later became a popular meme after Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso joined forces with Roman Reigns to form The Bloodline. Ray’s old comments once again went viral following the latest developments involving the family’s WWE presence.

Bully Ray says he tried to warn fans

After a video of the old segment resurfaced on social media, Bully Ray responded to the post and suggested that he had attempted to warn fans about just how deep the Samoan wrestling family was.

The timing of the viral moment is particularly interesting because WWE continues to feature several members of the Anoa’i-Fatu family across its roster.

Roman Reigns has re-formed The Bloodline on RAW, with Jey Uso, Jimmy Uso and Jacob Fatu currently associated with the faction. Solo Sikoa is also expected to join the group.

Zilla Fatu makes his WWE debut

The latest addition to the family’s growing WWE presence is Zilla Fatu, the son of the late Umaga. Zilla recently made his WWE debut on NXT and immediately attracted attention because of his connection to the legendary Anoa’i-Fatu family.

Rather than immediately joining The Bloodline, Zilla appeared on NXT and set his sights on the brand’s top champion, Tony D’Angelo.

His arrival has naturally led to speculation about whether WWE could eventually bring him into The Bloodline storyline. For now, however, Zilla appears to be beginning his WWE journey on his own path.

Matt Hardy wants Zilla Fatu to establish himself in NXT

WWE legend Matt Hardy recently discussed Zilla Fatu’s debut on The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy podcast.

Hardy expressed a preference for seeing Zilla develop his own identity in NXT rather than immediately becoming part of The Bloodline on RAW.

The former WWE star believes joining such a powerful faction could make it more difficult for Zilla to establish himself as an individual performer. A successful NXT run could instead allow him to develop his character and gain valuable experience before moving to the main roster.

Zilla Fatu’s connection to the Anoa’i-Fatu family

Zilla Fatu carries a significant wrestling legacy as the son of Umaga and a member of the wider Anoa’i-Fatu family. His relatives include several major WWE stars and legends who have helped shape professional wrestling over multiple generations.

Before joining WWE, Zilla was also involved in wrestling outside the company and had previously crossed paths with Bully Ray. He also teamed with his cousin Lance Anoa’i in a match against The Hardys for the HOG Tag Team Championship last year.

Could Zilla Fatu eventually join The Bloodline?

Although fans may expect Zilla to eventually become part of The Bloodline, WWE has not confirmed such a development. His current NXT storyline gives the company an opportunity to establish him separately before deciding whether to connect him with the faction.

With Roman Reigns rebuilding The Bloodline and additional members of the extended family appearing across WWE programming, the possibilities remain extensive.

Bottom line

Bully Ray has reminded fans that he joked about the enormous depth of the Anoa’i-Fatu family nearly a decade ago. With Roman Reigns rebuilding The Bloodline and Zilla Fatu now beginning his WWE career on NXT, the family’s influence in WWE continues to grow.