Jacob Fatu Reportedly Out Until 2026 Due to Injury – Jacob Fatu is expected to be out of action for an extended period following a serious non-wrestling-related injury, with reports indicating his return may not come until sometime in 2026. The timing of the setback is particularly unfortunate, as Fatu was in the midst of a developing storyline with Drew McIntyre on WWE SmackDown.
According to BodySlam.net, the 33-year-old suffered the injury outside of the ring, meaning it was not connected to his in-ring work. Sources noted that the recovery process will keep Fatu sidelined “for an extended period of time,” effectively ruling him out for the remainder of 2025. His most recent in-ring appearance came on September 12 in a dark match street fight against Rusev.
Fatu’s injury forced WWE to abruptly alter creative plans. He had been scheduled to face McIntyre on this Friday’s SmackDown in San Jose, California, a match meant to cap off their growing feud. The storyline began when Fatu confronted McIntyre several weeks ago, accusing him of constantly blaming others for his failures. The verbal exchange turned physical after McIntyre delivered a headbutt, prompting Fatu to retaliate by attacking the former WWE Champion. The two continued their rivalry in a heated brawl on last week’s episode of SmackDown.
Fatu’s absence leaves McIntyre without an opponent for this week’s show and creates a sudden gap in one of SmackDown’s more recent storylines. WWE has yet to announce how it plans to address the change or whether McIntyre will move into a new feud in the coming weeks.
Jacob Fatu joined WWE in the summer of 2024 and made an immediate impression by aligning himself with Solo Sikoa as part of The Bloodline. Serving as the faction’s powerhouse enforcer, Fatu quickly established himself as one of the group’s most dominant members. However, with his recovery expected to take several months, his momentum will now be halted until sometime next year.
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Jacob Fatu Reportedly Out Until 2026 Due to Injury
