MLW Star Lance Anoa'i, Roman Reigns' Cousin, Set To Make Pro Wrestling NOAH Debut

After a long run of dominance, cracks are beginning to show for Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns and his Bloodline stable, with Jimmy Uso costing Reigns and Solo Sikoa the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship at Night of Champions. Fortunately for Reigns, he has a lot more family members out there, and at least one will now be looking to make inroads for the Bloodline, all the way in Pro Wrestling NOAH.

Fightful Select reports that MLW star Lance Anoa'i, Reigns' cousin, will be taking part in NOAH's N-1 Victory tournament this July. And he may not be the only cousin of Reigns to do so, as former MLW World Heavyweight Champion Jacob Fatu is also being considered for the tournament, though a deal hasn't been finalized. Started in 2010 as the Global League tournament before being rebranded in 2019, NOAH's N-1 Victory tournament is a round-robin competition, similar to All Japan's Champion Carnival and New Japan's G1 Climax. The winner of the tournament receives a shot for the GHC World Heavyweight Championship, which is currently held by Jake Lee. The tournament will run until September, with the finals featuring the NOAH debut of Josh Barnett.

The tournament will be both Anoa'i's first appearance in a major international tournament and his first tour with a major Japanese promotion, and continues a noteworthy 2023 for the 31-year-old, who is currently one-half of the MLW World Tag Team Champions with Juicy Finau. Should Fatu join his cousin on the show, it would also represent his first tour with NOAH or any other Japanese promotion as well.