Jacob Fatu on navigating WWE, feuding with Cody Rhodes & Drew McIntyre
In a new interview with TV Insider, Jacob Fatu reflected on his WWE journey and how he’s adapted to the company’s environment.
Fatu opened up about moving on from his troubled past where he spent time in jail for armed robbery. He never thought this kind of success was possible and hopes his story can inspire others to realize that they’re capable of doing anything they put their mind to. Despite already having extensive experience on the indies, Fatu is still learning in pro wrestling, particularly from his family members.
“It would be learning,” Fatu responded when asked what the biggest part of getting acclimated to WWE has been. “Learning from family. Learning a lot from Solo [Sikoa]. Learning a lot from ‘Big’ Jim. A lot from Jey Uso, Roman [Reigns]. It’s really about learning a lot from others. I think Rey Mysterio said this on a podcast after tagging with John Cena and Sheamus. He learned a lot. You’re never been in the game long enough to act like you know it all. So, I think learning the game, structure, all of that.”
Fatu addressed the growth in his mic-skills while revealing that WWE permits him to be his authentic self in promos.
“Nah, the improv…yeah, you know they can hang with that. They are still trusting with the process, but it’s also something I love about WWE. They are letting me be who I am,” he said. “They ain’t here to change me. I’m going to say it again. They ain’t here to change me. They ain’t doing none of that. They are letting me be me and tapping into what people like me. Just to let them know anything [is] possible. It has been going good.”
Fatu also discussed his rivalries with Cody Rhodes and Drew McIntyre and what it’s been like to work with each of them.
“I enjoy working with both. They each bring something different to the game,” he said. “It just seems like my career is always elevating and elevating. I was just speaking with Tyler Breeze in the back, you have to treat people good because you’ll see the same people up and the same people on the way bad. Make sure everyone’s good, even when you’re bad.”
Fatu, Rhodes, and McIntyre were intertwined in a feud ahead of WrestleMania 42. That ultimately led to Rhodes winning the Undisputed WWE Championship back from McIntyre. He’s now set for a title defense against Randy Orton at WrestleMania. A singles match between Fatu and McIntyre is scheduled for SmackDown this Friday, and we’ll see if that results in their program extending into Mania.
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.