Facts About Roman Reigns’ Tattoos

WWE megastar Roman Reigns is well-known to have a display of impressive tattoos, wearing them with pride as he continues his stellar run as ‘The Tribal Chief’. These tattoos of Reigns’, much like his cousins The Usos, are highly significant to these performers as individuals as they represent the deeper lineage of their Samoan culture and the Anoa’i family at large.

Considering the attention to detail and complexity of Reigns’ designs as well, there are more personal tattoos within the larger piece that represent his immediate family and loved ones. What is the deeper story behind Roman Reigns’s tattoos and what interesting facts lie in the meaning behind them?

UPDATE: 2024/04/23 14:30 EST BY MICHAEL CHIN

The Tribal Chief run has reinforced the importance of the Anoa’i family in wrestling, with their Samoan culture embodied in their tattoos.

Roman Reigns enjoyed a positively historic run as Undisputed WWE Champion. It was an exceptionally rare reign in which he was able to defend his title in the main event of WrestleMania for four years straight without ever dropping the belt in between. Moreover, Reigns rose to elite status as he did the best in-ring and mic work of his career under the Tribal Chief persona. This reign and his time at the head of The Bloodline leaned into his family’s history in the business, and that history is immediately visible in the tattoos he and relatives like The Usos, The Rock, and Umaga share.

Roman Reigns’s Initial Shoulder Tattoo Was Done In Florida

Roman Reigns Got His First Tattoo While He Was A Developmental Talent

• Roman Reigns’s first tattoo was on his shoulder.
• Roman Reigns got his first tattoo while in the WWE developmental system in Tampa.
• Roman Reigns credits this tattoo with giving him good luck.

The original shoulder piece Reigns received as a younger man, was while he was based in Tampa, Florida for WWE’s training facility and developmental promotion Florida Championship Wrestling (as seen in Reigns’ picture above).

Reigns said he believes it has brought him good luck and fortune as his WWE career began to progress shortly after getting the tattoo. This tattoo was done by Mike Fatutoa, or ‘Samoan Mike’, who is based in Florida at Sacred Center Tattoo.

The Rest Of His Arm Took 17 Hours To Complete

Roman Reigns Took Very Few Breaks

• Mike Fatutoa completed The Tribal Chief’s enhancement of his original shoudler tattoo.
• Aside from a couple bathroom breaks, Roman Reigns powered through the situation.
• Mike Fatutoa posted about the experience on social media afterward.

This enormous enhancement of his original shoulder tattoo by Mike Fatutoa took a grueling 17 hours to complete, as Reigns explains in a video with Corey Graves on WWE’s YouTube channel, stating, “…it was almost like a competition, like, it was just me and Mike just sitting there the whole time and so, I felt challenged.”

He elaborates further saying ‘Samoan Mike’ asked him if he needed a break, which he brushed off as they pushed through with only “a couple of bathroom breaks”. Mike Fatutoa made a heartfelt Instagram post shortly after the tattoo, stating, “…true meaning lay deeply rooted in #aiga whom we draw our strength no matter what life throws at us. Thanks for always being a warrior during our long a** sessions. #Loveandrespect my uso.

The Usos’ Similar Tribal Tattoos Were Also Done by Mike Fatutoa

The Usos Worked With The Same Tattoo Artist As Their Cousin

• Jimmy and Jey Uso each went to Mike Fatutoa for their tattoos as well.
• Like the tattoos on Roman Reigns, The Usos represent their Samoan heritage with their ink.
• Jey Uso had more work done on his tattoos as recently as January 2022.

Tattoo artist Mike Fatutoa was also the artist for Reigns’ cousins, and WWE’s former Unified Tag Team Champions (and more recent opponents) The Usos’ tattoos. All three men proudly represent their Samoan culture with upper body pieces.

Jey Uso had a series of follow-up tattoos with ‘Samoan Mike’ as well, getting further work done as recently as January 2022.

Sleeves Are More Modern, Traditional Samoan ‘Pe’a’ Tattoos Were Lower-Body Focused

Roman Reigns’s Tattoos Fuse Tradition With The Modern Style

• Pe’a tattoos are a rite of passage for Samoan men.
• The traditional markings were made with more basic tools than modern tattoo artists use.
• Peter Maivia had lower body Pe’a that was more consistent with old school tradition.

Reigns also explained in his WWE YouTube video with Corey Graves, that sleeves are a more modern take on representation of Samoan culture, with the traditional process of Pe’a being a more grueling but very important rite of passage for the men of Samoa. It is applied during an extremely lengthy process with tools handmade from bone, tusk, turtle shell, and wood.

Samoan wrestler Peter Maivia, the maternal grandfather of Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, possessed this Pe’a lower-body piece. Reigns added that Maivia is seen as a leader, and high chief, in the Anoa’i family.

Roman Reigns’s Turtle Tattoo On His Wrist Is A Tribute

The Tattoo Is For His Daughter

• The turtle tattoo on Roman Reigns’s wrist is less visible than other ink.
• In Samoan culture, the turtle is a symbol of family and related themes.
• The turtle tattoo is a tribut to Roman Reigns’s daughter, Joelle.

One of Reigns’ less visible, but highly significant tattoos is a turtle on his wrist, which represents his bond with his daughter Joelle. In Samoan culture the turtle symbolizes family, wellness, longevity, and peace.

Reigns explained in a follow-up interview with Corey Graves, “I like it on the inside ’cause not everybody gets to see that. You get a good picture of this (referring to his outer sleeve), but if I were to let you in, you’d know why I want to be so strong, to protect what I have going on in here.”

Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson Bears A Similar Tattoo

The Rock Has Spoken To The Significance Of His Ink

• Fans have noticed similarities between the tattoos on The Rock and Roman Reigns.
• The Rock’s tattoos have deep familial significance.
• The Rock’s tattoos also share profound links to Samoan culture.

Fellow member of the Anoa’i family, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, also possesses similar tribal tattoos on his upper body. This piece of his is also rooted in family as Reigns’ is. Johnson explained, stating, “This is a/ga fa’atasi (three people in one), that’s me with my arms open. As it continues on my chest, it connects to my o lo’u to’a/ua (my wife, Dany) and my o lo’u afafine (my daughter, Simone Alexandra).” Simone Alexandra Johnson is now, of course, better known to wrestling fans as Ava Raine.

There are also numerous other references to Samoan culture. Such as, the stones extending around his bicep, as he explains, “…they’re the foundation of my life and symbols of my dedication. They bring the right to stand and speak with honor as a Tula Fale – a high talking Chief – and they maintain mana or supernatural power.” These deeply significant cultural references are seen throughout both Reigns’ and Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson’s tattoos.

Roman Reigns Sees His Tattoos As A Form Of Armor

Tattoos Are More Than An Aesthetic Choice For The Tribal Chief

• Roman Reigns views his tattoos as symbols of more important things.
• The Tribal Chief’s tattoos are a form of protection for him and his family.
• Roman Reigns has pointed out his tattooed arm is feeding his family.

Roman Reigns also explained that he perceives his tattoos as a kind of armor, a semblance of his strength, masculinity, and his protection of his family. Since the tattoos feature tribal Polynesian patterns and other culturally relevant art such as spearheads, worshipping mats, and others, it is clear why Reigns feels they have “taken a life of their own” and give him a sense of greater strength.

Reigns stated in the video previously mentioned with Corey Graves, “…it’s armor. This has become bigger for me in my life than I ever thought it would be. This arm is feeding my family right now. I don’t think many people can say that, and I’m proud of that.”

Roman Reigns Credits Umaga With Getting Him Started On Tattoos

His Cousin Eki Was An Inspiration

• Roman Reigns was inspired by his older cousin Umaga.
• Umaga was connected with a tattoo artist in Pensacola who helped realize his vision around tattoos representing Samoan culture.
• It’s clear Roman Reigns looked up to Umaga and their tattoos will always be a link between them.

Roman Reigns spoke in an interview with Inked Magazine about how much of an inspiration his cousin Eki–best known to wrestling fans as Umaga–was in leading to his own tattoos. According to Reigns, Umaga had a connection with a tattoo artist in Pensacala, Florida who not only gave him discounts, but also understood what he was going for in getting custom tattoos and patterns that represented Samoan culture.

Reigns has now grown into a spot where he’s second only to The Rock in terms of being the biggest pro wrestling star from his family. It is cool for fans to be able to see links backward through time, though, to the way The Tribal Chief looked up to and was influenced by Umaga–a WWE Superstar fans remember for his great matches, dedicated character work, and under-appreciated all around talent..