Jacob Fatu Reveals When He Signed With WWE & Original Plans for TV Debut

Jacob Fatu established himself as a ruthless beast in his very first appearance on WWE television a couple of summers ago.

The Samoan Werewolf arrived on WWE TV during the June 21, 2024, episode of Friday Night SmackDown, attacking Randy Orton, Cody Rhodes, and Kevin Owens and joining Solo Sikoa’s version of the Bloodline.

Fatu appeared on this week’s RAW Recap, where he revealed that he had signed with WWE ahead of WrestleMania XL. However, at the time, he didn’t know when he would make his debut on weekly programming.

“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 don’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 at the Hall of Fame; I was sitting in Gorilla [position]. Nobody could see me. I was hooded up. Everybody [was] walking by, and I was tripping out. I seen my brother Solo, I seen my brother Big Jim, seen Mr. Yeet Man… I was in there with Roman, the Tribal Chief, and OG Paul Heyman, so to go out there and be a part of that was off the rip.”

Jacob Fatu reveals original plans for his WWE TV debut

Fatu joked that when Tama Tonga and Tonga Loa made their respective WWE debuts before him, he called to confirm if he still had a job with the company. Jacob revealed that he was originally supposed to debut at the Money in the Bank PLE in July. However, the creative team decided to pivot and have him show up on the June 21 episode of SmackDown.

“I just remember when Roman seen me; when I left [that WrestleMania weekend], 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 Tonga come over. Tama Tonga’s a beast, a workhorse, a dog, you know what I mean? See him, man, okay. Didn’t know they were coming. Backlash, France, seen Tanga Loa pop up. I’m like, ‘Okay!’ I gotta call brother up and ask 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.”

Check out Jacob Fatu’s comments below:

Fatu is set for an Unsanctioned Match against bitter rival Drew McIntyre at WrestleMania 42 this coming Saturday.

Please credit RAW Recap and give an H/T to 411Mania for the transcription if you take quotes from this copy.