John Cena Issues Tribute to Roman Reigns’ Father Sika Anoa’i Despite Long Rivalry

Death can flood away any bad blood for real. As veteran Samoan superstar Sika Anoa’i had a sudden collapse on Tuesday, June 25th, the WWE Universe flocked to send their prayers and condolences for the aggrieving family members, irrespective of their professional animosity. John Cena was the one among the anti-Anoa’i squad who chimed into the tribute spree by posting an old photo of the legend on his Instagram handle.

John Cena has been thrown against the Bloodline side for the past two decades. Starting from Rikishi to Roman Reigns, the Champ has had a storied rivalry with each one from the Samoan dynasty. But as the Big Dog has been facing a rough patch, losing his father, the formal rival rose above the past differences to send him an indirect condolence.

John Cena let his emotion out following Sika Anoai’s unforeseen death

Despite not getting the chance to meet Sika Anoa’i from the opposite end of the ring, Cena seems to have a huge respect for the late legend. Cena posted a photograph of Reigns’ father and left the rest unsaid. The gesture depicts that Cena mourned the loss of a gem, irrespective of his animosity with the classic wrestling dynasty.

John Cena first got on the nerves of Hall of Famer Rikishi back in 2002. After an impromptu rap battle with the veteran, Cena faced off against him in a full-blown match. Later, in 2006, the Samoan Bulldozer hit The Cenation Leader with a rivalry that nearly lasted for an entire year. Umaga dismantled Cena in a match ahead of Royal Rumble 2007 while Cena equaled the score during a last-man-standing match in the PLE, putting an end to Umaga’s unbeaten streak.

Coming down to Cena’s next Anoa’i foe, The Rock showed up and cost him a win and defeated him head-on in WrestleMania 27 and 28, respectively. In 2017, the Big Dog and the Champ met inside the squared circle for the very first time and it culminated in a solid beat-down of the latter. Last but not least, Cena alongside LA Knight took out the likes of Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa in Fastlane.

Amidst the difficult times, Roman Reigns also took some time to speak about the heart-breaking loss via social media.

Roman Reigns expressed his feelings after the tragic event of his life

Following his father’s unfortunate demise, Reigns issued a heart-melting on X, where he wholeheartedly penned down his father’s profound impact on him and his family. Previously, he mentioned how his father had been a guiding light in his career and how he asked him to keep the money motive at the forefront of his career. As he’s no more to lead him through the path, the Big Dog noted it will be impossible to fill the void that has been left by his dad in his life.

However, with the deep-seated gloom in their hearts, he and his sisters keep on carrying the legacy forward and set new standards for the generations to come. “My family and I thank everyone for the outpouring of support in the name of my father, Pola’ivao Leati Sika Anoa’i, who will forever be remembered as one half of The Wild Samoans tag team.  My father had a profound impact on my entire family and we are forever grateful for the foundation he built for us. There’s no way to fill the void left by his passing but my sisters and I will do our best to represent him and his legacy,” the wrestler wrote on X.

As The Tribal Chief, Reigns has accomplished many rare feats in the WWE trajectory. Now, it remains to be seen if his father’s death adds an extra layer of responsibility to excel more in his craft going forward or not. What’s your take on John Cena’s silent tribute to Sika Anoa’i? Let us know in the comments.