Update on Jeff Cobb following WWE release | Exclusive
It sounds like Jeff Cobb, newly a free agent following his release from WWE, still has a strong relationship with NJPW.
Dave Meltzer reports in the new issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that Cobb was backstage at NJPW Wrestling Dontaku at the start of May. It’s believed that Cobb still has a residence in Japan, though it’s unconfirmed if he’ll be returning to NJPW once his 90-day non-compete clause is up.
Meltzer wrote:
- Jeff Cobb was backstage at Dontaku. I believe he still has a place in Japan. Unless WWE gives his special dispensation, he would not be able to return in time for G-1 if he does end up here, as the non-compete ends on 7/24. We don’t know if that is what he’ll do. New Japan has its own financial issues. It wouldn’t surprise me if AEW picked up Cobb, but the reality is his chances of going to AEW as a star were much higher one year ago. WWE often enhances someone’s value, but Cobb would not be one of those people.
Cobb had a year-long run with WWE after debuting for the company in May 2025. He was given the name “JC Mateo” and inserted into the Bloodline story as one of Solo Sikoa’s MFTs. But Cobb’s WWE stint was widely considered to be underwhelming, never living up to the time he spent in NJPW. He was released in WWE’s post-WrestleMania 42 roster cuts.
In NJPW, Cobb was one of the promotion’s top foreign wrestlers. He held the NEVER Openweight Championship, IWGP Tag Team titles, and NJPW World Television title.
The 43-year-old Cobb did work some matches for AEW during his NJPW career. He has previous experience in Lucha Underground, ROH, PWG, and represented Guam as an amateur wrestler in the 2004 Olympics.
Joseph Currier is the lead editor of F4WOnline.com, directing daily news coverage and writing articles on professional wrestling. He is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, obtaining a journalism degree in 2016. Joseph joined F4W during his time at UMass and has now been writing about the industry for nearly a decade.
In addition to his work with F4W, Joseph has previously contributed to Sports Illustrated's wrestling coverage. He lives in Massachusetts and is a diehard fan of the Boston sports teams and Liverpool Football Club.