Solo Sikoa (left) & Rikishi (right) [Image credits: Rikishi’s official Instagram handle & wwe.com]

With Roman Reigns on a well-deserved hiatus, Solo Sikoa looks like he is on his way to becoming the next Tribal Chief in WWE. Rikishi recently reacted to Sikoa’s changed persona on TV and admitted his son looked “sharp.”

It has been a wild couple of weeks since WrestleMania XL, as Solo Sikoa is no longer the silent Enforcer of The Bloodline. The 31-year-old star is moving around like the actual leader of the Samoan faction, having welcomed Tama Tonga into the group and gone on a rampage on SmackDown.

The WWE Universe is being treated to a new and different Solo Sikoa, and Rikishi compared his son’s transformation to the infamous music executive Suge Knight.

The Hall of Famer also sent a message to Sikoa, commending him on his recent performances while speaking on his RIKISHI FATU OFF THE TOP podcast:

“To be able to, you know, watch this promo of Solo, you know, turning into the Suge Knight of professional wrestling. Big shout out to Solo, you look sharp there, son!” [00:55 – 1:06]You can watch the podcast below:

What the future has in store for The Enforcer remains to be seen.

Rikishi opened up about The Bloodline story’s connection with WWE fans

The recent pro wrestling boom has largely been attributed to the popularity of The Bloodline Saga over the past few years.

Led by Roman Reigns, WWE has captivated the audience’s attention by weaving together a story involving several members of the famed Anoaʻi family.

Rikishi, a real-life Bloodline member, pointed out that the Samoan faction’s influence will always be felt even if Roman Reigns was not around. The WWE Hall of Famer spoke about Solo Sikoa’s recent promo on SmackDown and how fans were still heavily invested in the angle that started long ago.

Presently in a fresh arc, The Bloodline storyline is still one of the hottest things in pro wrestling, and The Samoan Stinker explained why fans relate to it so much on his RIKISHI FATU OFF THE TOP podcast.

“But yeah, and then to hear them not chant Cody’s name, they weren’t chanting CM Punk’s name. They were chanting what they wanted to see. So, that tells me that Bloodline timeline, but you can’t take that away. There are so many of us. That is what people buy today. Tell me there’s a family that doesn’t get along. Tell me there are siblings that don’t fight. It’s just so natural for the world to understand that this drama seems and feels just realistic to them,” Rikishi said. [From 1:07 onwards]

WWE’s work on The Bloodline can be best described as a cinematic masterclass unfolding in and around the squared circle.

With a layered narrative involving characters that have all ascended to higher levels just by association, the Stamford-based company has delivered one of its best angles ever that, thankfully, still has a few chapters left.