In late 2025, WWE Superstar Jacob Fatu was on a hiatus, and it turns out that he was treating a dental injury, which required surgery.
Speaking to Busted Open, Fatu revealed that he was able to recenter during his hiatus in late 2025. It presented him with a chance to be with his children, which he had “lost touch with.” This helped him get through a time when he had gotten 11 (originally, it was supposed to be 12) teeth pulled out.
“I was supposed to get 12 teeth, I got 11 teeth pulled out in the back,” Fatu said. “It was being home. And man, honestly, I remember my uncle Rikishi saying this, ‘When you're home [with] something, you've been out of sight, out of mind, that phone's gonna stop ringing.'”
Ultimately, his family is the most important thing to Fatu. Being home for a while allowed him to get right before his eventual return in January 2026.
When did Jacob Fatu return to WWE from his injury?
Fatu returned during the Jan. 9, 2026, edition of Friday Night SmackDown. He interfered in a match between Drew McIntyre and Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship.
His interference caused McIntyre to capture the title. However, it does not mean that they are allies. Fatu, McIntyre, and Rhodes are all still feuding.
Fatu entered the 2026 Royal Rumble in the 27th spot. He would last over nine minutes before being eliminated by the eventual winner, Roman Reigns.
Since 2024, Fatu has been one of WWE's rising stars. He initially debuted as a member of Solo Sikoa's iteration of the Bloodline faction.
In 2025, he finally broke away from the Bloodline, betraying Sikoa at Money in the Bank. He feuded with Sikoa before turning his attention to the Undisputed WWE Championship.
He was attacked backstage by a mystery Superstar in October 2025. This storyline was done to write him off TV while he got his injury treated.
