Jacob Fatu is hearing all the predictions ahead of his WWE Backlash match against Roman Reigns — and he clearly isn’t buying them.
With fans widely expecting Roman Reigns to retain the World Heavyweight Championship in his first defense since WrestleMania 42, Fatu pushed back hard against the idea that the outcome remain obvious.
Speaking on the No-Contest Wrestling Podcast ahead of Saturday’s main event, Fatu addressed the growing belief that WWE would never take the championship off Reigns so quickly.
While many fans see Reigns as having a built-in “safety net” coming out of WrestleMania season, the self-proclaimed Samoan Werewolf argued that these assumptions miss the bigger picture.
After all, in wrestling, counting someone out too early can sometimes end in a three-count of your own.
Jacob Fatu fires back at Roman Reigns Backlash predictions
Fatu admitted he understands why fans believe Reigns is favored entering Backlash, especially considering the timing of the match.
“He just won it. This is the next PLE,” Fatu said. “So I can understand why people think, ‘Oh, well he’s not gonna lose.’”
However, Fatu quickly dismissed the online narrative surrounding WWE’s booking.
“Y’all think y’all know the booking? ‘Oh, Roman Reigns’ first title defense against Jacob, there’s no way Roman’s losing it.’ Man, that’s ass.”
Fatu also called out fans who he believes criticize WWE while still planning to watch the event anyway.
“I bet you will definitely buy that ESPN app, and I bet you gonna be sitting there watching it, and enjoying the show.”
The challenger then shifted focus back to his own rise, pointing out that many people doubted he would ever reach this position in WWE.
“There was no way Jacob was supposed to be here,” Fatu explained. “There was no way Jacob was supposed to be main event, PLE, Roman Reigns, right out of WrestleMania.”
The rivalry between Reigns and Fatu has intensified in recent weeks, fueled by personal family tension and repeated attacks involving the “Tongan Death Grip.” WWE has also leaned heavily into the idea that Reigns may have finally met someone he can’t control or predict.
Fatu made that point clear with one final warning ahead of Backlash.
“[Roman] ain’t never ran into nobody like me. They don’t make ‘em like me.”
Whether fans believe him or not, Fatu seems determined to prove that the Bloodline civil war may not follow the script many expect once the bell rings in Tampa.
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