Jacob Fatu says WWE debut was delayed, attended WrestleMania 40
Jacob Fatu signed with WWE in early April 2024 and even attended WrestleMania 40 but his debut was delayed.
On the latest episode of Raw Recap, Fatu disclosed that he attended Wrestlemania 40 which was shortly after he had signed with WWE. He was present at the Hall of Fame ceremony that year, wearing a hoodie and hidden in plain sight to conceal his identity from the public. He remembered being elated at seeing his cousins – Roman Reigns, The Usos and Solo Sikoa at the event.
“Yeah, I was there. WrestleMania 40. WrestleMania 40, pulled up. A lot of people don’t know, a lot of my independent career took off in Philadelphia so to be there, that WrestleMania during that time, it was something special. I got there at WrestleMania, still didn’t know, I was signed already. I just got signed but I didn’t know when I was coming. Day after WrestleMania 40, met everybody, said ‘what’s up?’ We were in the Hall of Fame, I was sitting in Gorilla. Nobody could see me. I was hooded up. Everybody walking by, and I was tripping out. I seen my brother Solo, I seen my brother Big Jim, see Mr. Yeet Man, seeing all of them in there. I was in there with Roman, the Tribal Chief and O.G. Paul Heyman so, to go out there to be a part of that, it was off the rip.”
Fatu added that he met Reigns that weekend and he advised him to do whatever needed to be done for his career. Fatu watched his cousins, Tama Tonga and Tonga Loa get called up and declared that his debut was supposed to take place at Money in the Bank that year but was delayed.
“I just remember when Roman seen me, when I left, he said, ‘Jacob, do whatever you gotta do. But when you come back, look different.’ I was already looking different at that time. But, two more months, came in and got it rolling. The day after WrestleMania 40, seen Tama — Tama Tonga come over. Tama Tonga’s a beast, a workhorse, a dog. Seen him, man, okay. Didn’t know they was coming. Backlash, France, seen Tonga Loa pop up. I’m like, ‘Okay.’ I gotta call brother up and them, ‘Hey man, I still got a job over there!?’ I ain’t know what was going on. But man, it all fell together. It all came together. I was supposed to debut at Money in the Bank. Next thing you know, they called. Man, a couple days and was like, ‘We doing it on SmackDown.’ Nobody seen it coming.”
Fatu eventually debuted in a June edition of SmackDown that year. He attacked Cody Rhodes, Randy Orton and Kevin Owens to prove his alliance with Sikoa. After their split, Fatu won the United States Championship, holding the title for nearly 70 days.
Earlier this year, Fatu returned from a brief hiatus after being attacked by an unknown assailant in October 2025. He interfered in Rhodes and Drew McIntyre’s title matches which forced a title change. And it ultimately led to his rivalry with McIntyre. The two will settle their scores in an unsanctioned match on Night One at WrestleMania 42.
Rosanne Raphael is a wrestling writer with over three and a half years of experience covering all things related to the industry. From a kindergarten teacher to PR Associate to turning her lifelong passion for the industry into a career, Rosanne is currently writing for F4W Online where she focuses on wrestling news, analysis, and storytelling.
Rosanne previously contributed to Sportskeeda as an Assistant Content Manager.
When not consumed by wrestling, Rosanne is a musician and an aspiring artist.