An update has surfaced regarding Jacob Fatu’s recent absence from WWE television, and the news may be more positive than initially believed.
Fatu was written off TV during the October 17th episode of Friday Night SmackDown following a backstage injury angle. Early reports suggested a potentially serious, non-wrestling-related issue, but a new update from PWInsider.com indicates otherwise.
According to the outlet, sources backstage at SmackDown revealed that Fatu’s absence stems from a dental procedure rather than a major injury.
“For those who have asked, the word among talents at Smackdown last night was that Jacob Fatu was recovering from a dental procedure and was not yet cleared to wrestle,” PWInsider reported.
The same report added that the overall sentiment backstage is optimistic.
“The hope is he will be back very soon,” PWInsider noted. “We have not independently verified the dental story, but numerous talents were stating that was the issue after Smackdown.”
On the October 17 broadcast, Fatu was scheduled to face Drew McIntyre in the main event to determine the next challenger for Cody Rhodes’ Undisputed WWE Championship. Before the match, Fatu appeared in a backstage segment with Rhodes, confidently vowing victory. However, moments before the bout, Fatu was found pinned under production equipment and bleeding from the mouth — an angle that effectively wrote him out of the storyline. Rhodes ultimately replaced him in the main event against McIntyre.
Despite the brief hiatus, Fatu reportedly remains in excellent standing with WWE officials.
“He is very much liked within the company and it’s felt he’s overdue for a big push,” PWInsider added.
With strong internal support and the hope of a swift recovery, fans may not have to wait long to see Fatu return to the blue brand spotlight.
What happened to Jacob Fatu?! 😱 pic.twitter.com/WX6aY82QIh
— WWE (@WWE) October 18, 2025
