"We couldn't breathe," "It was pitch black" - Real-life Bloodline member reveals he narrowly escaped death

The Bloodline runs deep in professional wrestling, as several notable names from the past and present belong to or have an association with the Anoa'i family. However, one member escaped death before starting his journey as a professional wrestler, and that name is Zilla Fatu.

Zilla Fatu, son of the late Umaga, spent six years of his life behind bars when he was arrested for aggravated robbery. The rising star spent the necessary time before being released and began his professional wrestling journey on the independent circuit. While he has ties with the Anoa'i family, he started his career from scratch.

In his YouTube channel, the 26-year-old real-life Bloodline member revealed how he narrowly escaped death on his third day in prison. Fatu recalled an incident when he was in a cell and a burning mattress blocked his path and trapped him. He tried his best to alert the authorities, but it took a while for them to appear.

"I remember it was quiet, and all I heard was 'Fire, fire, fire.' Bro, I get up and look; I ain't see no fire; I ain't seen nothing. A couple seconds later, a big a*s mattress, the same mattress that we get in the prison, is right there in front of my cell, and it was on fire. It went from red fire to black smoke... I got to the point where I'm grabbing the bar and shaking the bars, telling the guard to open it up... Everybody in the first row, we were shaking the doors and letting them know we couldn't breathe. We couldn't breathe," Fatu said.

The real-life Bloodline member also revealed he put his head in the toilet in an attempt to get more air before he narrowly escaped d*ing due to suffocation.

"I end up putting my head in the toilet, trying to get that extra grasp of air, and I was able to do so. Then I had to flush it... I was able to get that extra air. I remember my vision was blurry, and it was pitch black... All I remember was I went back to the gate, and I started shaking it, and I started getting weaker and weaker... The gate opened last minute, and I feel like I was about to pass out," Fatu said.

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Real-life Bloodline member thinks Zilla Fatu is ready for WWE

Zilla Fatu has made a name on the independent circuit, and superstars and veterans have taken notice of it. Moreover, Fatu's character can be seen throughout his vlogs and interactions with fellow stars and legends in the business.

Speaking on Rikishi Fatu Off The Top, the real-life Bloodline member thinks Zilla Fatu is ready for WWE. Moreover, Rikishi thinks Fatu can skip the developmental brand if they wish to, but having Fatu on any brand would benefit everyone around him.

If you use quotes from the article, please credit Zilla Fatu's YouTube channel and provide an H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription.