Jacob Fatu might have been playing backup to Solo Sikoa in The Bloodline, but WWE has been carefully plotting his rise from the moment he arrived.
Fightful Select reports that Jacob Fatus appearances and interactions have been carefully crafted since virtually the start of his WWE run.
From the scripted injury angle at SummerSlam to his forced tag title surrender and key moments leading to Bad Blood, everything has been designed to shape how fans perceive Fatu within The Bloodline. WWE knows the audience sees him as a powerhouse, and theyve been leaning into it.
The report also notes that while theres no confirmation of Solo vs. Jacob at WrestleMania, the face-offs with Roman Reigns are not an accident. Higher-ups view Fatu as a long-term star, and his interactions with Reigns have only fueled speculation about his future role. WWEs previous leadership had passed on signing him, but the new regime wasted no time in locking him down once he became available.
Another key detailbefore debuting on TV, Fatu put in the work to get into the best shape of his career, earning praise from within WWE. Now, with his momentum building, its clear hes being positioned as a major player for years to come.
Behind the scenes, one major idea WWE had been considering was a WrestleMania showdown between Fatu and Roman Reigns. According to Billi Bhatti on the Dirty Sheets Backstage podcast, WWE had originally penciled in Reigns vs. Fatu for WrestleMania 41 if plans for The Rock vs. Cody Rhodes fell through.
Bhatti explained that WWE had a clear vision for WrestleMania 41 early on, listing out major matches including Seth Rollins vs. CM Punk, Logan Paul vs. John Cena, Becky Lynch vs. Rhea Ripley, Tiffany Stratton vs. Charlotte Flair, and The Rock vs. Cody Rhodes, with potentially Roman Reigns added to the match. However, if that Rock vs. Rhodes match didnt happen, the plan was for Reigns to take on Fatu instead.
Some in WWE reportedly felt the match didnt fit into the larger Bloodline story at the time, but the idea was to push Jacob Fatu for the next 12 months to the top of the card, and facing Roman Reigns is a huge rub for him. The thinking was simpleif youre in the ring with Reigns, youre being positioned as a major deal.
As plans changed following Survivor Series, where CM Punk replaced Seth Rollins in WWEs creative outlook, the companys direction for WrestleMania 41 was reworked. Bhatti noted that The Rock pushed for the event to revolve around John Cena, leading to Fatus potential match with Reigns being shelvedfor now.
Jacob Fatu isnt just another guy in The BloodlineWWE knows exactly what theyve got, and theyre playing the long game. From his face-offs with Roman Reigns to the way his story has been unfolding, its clear the company sees him as a future top guy. Whether that means a showdown with Solo Sikoa at WrestleMania or something even bigger down the line, Fatus path is only getting started.
Do you think Jacob Fatu will eventually step up as the next big force in WWE? Drop your thoughts below!
