SmackDown star details mental, physical, and family reasons behind time away
Summary
– Jacob Fatu stepped away from WWE after major dental surgery
– Time off allowed him to reconnect with family during the holidays
– Says he returned mentally sharper and physically healed
Jacob Fatu has broken his silence about why he stepped away from WWE television last year.
Speaking on February 20, 2026, Fatu explained that his absence following a brutal October 2025 segment with Drew McIntyre was not only about recovering from dental surgery. The physical damage required 11 teeth to be pulled, sidelining him for months, but he admitted the break became something much deeper.
Fatu said the time away forced him to regroup mentally and emotionally. With seven children at home, he described how the holiday stretch allowed him to reconnect with his family in a way that constant travel had prevented. Watching his kids go to school and return home while he was still there gave him the perspective he had been missing.
He credited the timing to something bigger than wrestling. The pause helped him slow down and reassess priorities while healing from the procedure. Fatu also recalled advice from his uncle Rikishi, who once warned him that when you are out of sight in this business, the phone eventually stops ringing. During his time away, he felt that reality firsthand.
The break also separated him from the nonstop calls and outside demands that come with high momentum. Sitting at home, away from the spotlight, gave him clarity and focus.
Fatu returned on the January 9, 2026 edition of Friday Night SmackDown, costing Cody Rhodes the Undisputed WWE Title in a match against McIntyre. Now back in full motion, he says the version fans see today is grounded, focused, and operating with renewed purpose.
