Jacob Fatu has a lot to lose today, says WWE legend; recalls when he was a "liability"

Jacob Fatu has a lot to lose today, says WWE legend; recalls when he was a “liability”

Jacob Fatu has received praise for his work in WWE and has not even completed his rookie year. But things were not always like this for this Samoan. WWE Hall of Famer Mark Henry recently recounted when he vouched for Fatu.

According to Henry, Jacob was a “bad dude” who had to learn things the hard way. He always pushed for The Samoan Werewolf to get hired at both WWE and AEW. The Hall of Famer claimed it was a good thing that nobody listened because now, the 32-year-old could achieve great success, having lived a life. The veteran even went to the extent of stating that Fatu could reach John Cena’s level eventually.

Speaking on the Busted Open podcast, Mark Henry elaborated on the kind of person Fatu was through his lens. Perhaps this was why WWE had hesitated to hire him before. The company eventually pulled the trigger and hired him last year.

“I begged before I left the WWE — you gotta bring him in. But he was in so much trouble. He was a liability. Jacob Fatu is real. He will punch you in the face and talk about your mama at the same time. That’s a bad dude. Bad dude. And then I got to AEW — guys, whatever you do, you gotta bring Jacob Fatu in here. That didn’t happen. Everything happened for a reason,” Mark Henry said.

The Hall of Famer called Jacob Fatu’s rookie year in WWE a “redemption story,” saying that the Samoan has come full circle:

“He is full circle. He’s where he is supposed to be. I’m glad nobody listened to me because maybe he would have bricked himself early and ruined it for the rest of his career. He’s mature. He’s a father. He has a lot to lose now. So, he’s a different man. And I believe in a redemption story,” Henry concluded. [From 25:19 to 26:22]

Jacob Fatu and Tama Tonga headlined WWE SmackDown this week

Following a remarkable debut on Netflix for WWE, SmackDown had a lot of pressure to deliver. The company booked Jacob Fatu and Tama Tonga in the main event spot this week against Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes and Jimmy Uso.

The Samoan Werewolf was heavily featured in the show. He remains a force to be reckoned with, and fans have grown fond of him within his short time in the company. A singles program appears to be on the horizon for him.

If you use any quotes, please credit the Busted Open podcast and give a H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription.