Jacob Fatu
The Samoan Werewolf, upon signing, had a tidal wave of hype following him. The Summer of 2024 seemed to be solidifying that. Joining Solo Sikoa’s version of The Bloodline alongside Tama Tonga and Tonga Loa, Fatu’s story of breaking from Sikoa’s shadow made his story compelling. Commentary spoke of Fatu like they would a horror movie monster.
A singles run for Fatu normally would’ve indicated big things for him. Colliding with Drew McIntyre kept Fatu in relevance, as the Scottish Psychopath vied for Cody Rhodes’s Undisputed WWE Championship.
On the October 17, 2025 episode of SmackDown, Fatu cost Rhodes his championship, mid-Steel Cage match with McIntyre. Once Rhodes regained his belt, Fatu and McIntyre set their sights on WrestleMania 42 in an Unsanctioned Match, which was far less violent than the stipulation led many to believe.
Victorious after WrestleMania, Fatu appeared ready for something huge, something big. That would come in the form of Roman Reigns, who had won the WWE World Heavyweight Championship from CM Punk at the Showcase of the Immortals.
At Backlash, Fatu lost both the title match and his temper. Unable to compose himself, he leaped after the OTC time and again, until they agreed to a Tribal Combat Match at Clash in Italy. Either of these could’ve been the Samoan Werewolf’s crowning moment. But they weren’t.
Suffering his loss in the Tribal Combat Match, Fatu got down on one knee and swore fealty to Reigns. Again, Fatu is a lackey to someone else. WWE tried to reverse course by indicating Reigns saw Fatu as an equal above The Usos, but the damage was done.
Turning Fatu into a tamed, submissive puppy evaporated the aura Fatu carried. So long as Reigns lets Fatu operate as a killer, Fatu may once again reach the heights he’s meant to. Until then, he’s left to acknowledge his Tribal Chief.
Dishonorable Mentions
Someone I believed would’ve been a huge deal coming into WWE was none other than former TNA Wrestling knockout Jordynne Grace. Her appearances in the 2024 and 2025 Women’s Royal Rumble Matches were treated as a huge deal; she lasted quite long in both stacked royales. Furthermore, she enjoyed a brief stint in NXT in 2025.
Debuting on the main roster in January 2026 for SmackDown, Grace received modest hype with the potential for more before an injury in a match with Alba Fyre on Main Event put her on the shelf. She’s recently been cleared for action as of April, in a losing effort to WWE Women’s United States Champion Tiffany Stratton.
Aside from that, no further appearances on the main roster. At this point, I wouldn’t be surprised if she doesn’t make it past 2026 in the company. A shame, since WWE proudly spotlighted her before she even put pen to paper. Now they forget she exists when she could easily add depth to the SmackDown shows.
Her fellow NXT alum, Jacy Jayne, has been a huge spotlight on recent SmackDown episodes. Still leading Fatal Influence, her teammates Fallon Henley and Lainey Reid sustained their popularity as a heel act. On promos and in the ring, the trio is a huge asset. Though it was understandable that Jayne would lose to WWE Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley this early in the Australian’s reign, the loss came from a disqualification, which is a tad frustrating.
That won’t be enough to deter her, but she had a chance at a solid rebound following Ripley’s injury in May. In a qualifying match to contest for the WWE Women’s Championship, she came up short against current WWE Women’s United States Champion Tiffany Stratton. Stratton already has a title; did she even need to be in the picture? Regardless, Jayne’s soon to bounce back, I believe.
