Follow on Google News Jacob Fatu told Busted Open Radio today that his recent WWE absence stemmed from extensive dental surgery and a vital personal reset. This unexpected hiatus allowed him to step away and reconnect with his children.
The time off brought physical challenges alongside moments of reflection. “It was being home — sitting on the couch. I had 11 teeth pulled out in the back. I was supposed to get 12, but I got 11 pulled,” Fatu stated.
The sudden isolation proved jarring. Fatu shared, “I remember my uncle Rikishi saying this — when you’re home and you’ve been out of sight, out of mind, that phone’s going to stop ringing. And that phone stopped ringing.”
That quiet distance ultimately grounded him. He explained, “Watching my kids walk by, watching them go to school, then come back home and still see me on the couch — that made me regroup. I had to regroup.”
WWE wrote Fatu off television following an October backstage angle. He didn’t return until January 2026 to attack Drew McIntyre, sparking a bitter rivalry as both men chart their paths toward WrestleMania 42.