Jacob Fatu shared a surprising backstory behind one of the most recognizable elements of his character.
The “Samoan Werewolf” moniker, which Fatu had been using long before his WWE arrival, apparently traces its roots to an unlikely combination of the Twilight franchise and Gangrel’s influence.
During a recent appearance on Stephanie McMahon’s What’s Your Story?, Fatu explained that the nickname originated while he was training and working alongside the former Brood member:
“It started from the movie Twilight. It really did. When I first got into wrestling, my uncle Rikishi, we were doing this NFL, NBA different teams from different cities. When I first came in, I gotta be very clear. I was trained by my uncles, Rikishi, my father as well. But Gangrel, David Heath, had a lot to do with my training. Shoutout to Gangrel. Vampire Warrior. Fangin’ and bangin’ 24/7, — We were on the same team. He was a vampire. Twilight. Vampires, werewolf. Guy’s name was Jacob, but I told my wife, I was like, ‘His body look way more better than my body.’ Shoutout to Jacob on Twilight. That’s how Samoan Werewolf came about.”
The Jacob he’s referencing is Jacob Black, the character played by Taylor Lautner in the franchise. With Gangrel already carrying his iconic vampire persona, casting Fatu as the “werewolf” half of the pairing was a natural fit.
Fatu’s connection to Gangrel runs much deeper than just the gimmick. Gangrel and Rikishi co-ran KnokX Pro in Los Angeles, the school where Fatu received part of his early training.
The nickname has stuck with Fatu for nearly his entire career. Years before joining WWE, MLW was already billing him as “The Samoan Werewolf,” including during his historic run as MLW World Heavyweight Champion.
Fatu continues to live up to the persona. On the March 8 episode of Raw, he defeated Royce Keys in a Street Fight and kept up the assault after the match, leaving his former friend in need of medical attention as Roman Reigns looked on approvingly.