Jacob Fatu was reported to have signed for WWE back in April. With The Bloodline taking a new direction, it was expected he would debut soon, but that hasn’t been the case. We have seen two new Bloodline members added since Fatu was first rumored to appear. So, what’s the hold-up? It turns out the past of the former MLW wrestler and WWE’s PLE strategy this year, has played a part.

After WrestleMania 40, Roman Reigns disappeared from the scene and so did “The Final Boss” Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. Instead, Solo Sikao is running things and has added two members to the faction, Tama Tonga and Tonga Loa, with others rumored to join them. Fatu was expected to follow suit, but so far there has been no update on his future in the company.

Recently, wrestling insider Sean Ross Sapp answered questions about Fatu by providing a comprehensive update on his delayed WWE debut.

He pointed out that Fatu had legal convictions before wrestling for MLW. Because of this, he could not fight in foreign countries as he hadn’t gained the necessary clearance to compete in a single match overseas, which is why WWE had yet to debut him.

Sharing his take on What Do You Guys Wanna Talk About? With Sean Ross Sapp Podcast, SRS remarked, “So he was signed, he is in the company, and… Listen, it’s well known, he had a record before MLW. I’ll encourage you to go back and look at how many times Jacob Fatu has ever wrestled out of the country. Because the amount that I found when I looked was zero, a big zero was the number of times he had wrestled outside the country.”

Following WrestleMania, WWE has had four consecutive PLEs outside of the United States. If Fatu had made his debut after WrestleMania, it was unlikely that he would have been able to join the company’s overseas PLEs. Given how The Bloodline has been the center of attention when it comes to WWE programming, having Fatu debut and then not appear on any major PLE would have made little sense.

His absence after possibly emerging as a new and crucial component in The Bloodline’s narrative would only deter his momentum and the story if he didn’t appear at the PLEs.

This is something SRS also pointed out, “So since WrestleMania, where have the shows been? France, Saudi Arabia, Scotland, Canada. Are you really gonna bring in Jacob Fatu and have him not go to four straight PLE shows? I could see why they’re holding off on it.” As a result, WWE could not come up with another solution to overcome this hurdle. And the former MLW World Heavyweight champion’s debut has come to a standstill currently.

Much anticipation about Jacob Fatu has already circulated in the market. Many have speculated that he could turn out to be a marquee superstar. And for good reason. The 32-year-old is the proud owner of the accolade of amassing the longest MLW World Heavyweight championship reign at 819 days.

His ability and charisma help him stand out from the rest of the pack. Nevertheless, some fans questioned the claim put forward by the wrestling insider, as they vouched for his personality. SRS cleared up the confusion, claiming, “Now, that can always be rectified and fixed. And I just want to say this, in meeting Jacob Fatu, a wonderful guy. What a nice guy he is. And he is going to be a big star in WWE, barring all unforeseen.”

As for now, there’s no word yet about when Fatu will make his WWE debut. However, it is believed that this will not happen until SummerSlam, as it suits the time when Roman Reigns may return to the business, following his absence. The reintroduction of the Tribal Chief would have massive ramifications, especially if all the cards were spread out on the table upon his return.

In WWE’s PLE chronology, Money in the Bank in Canada is next, following the Clash at the Castle event in Scotland UK, at the weekend. Though SummerSlam will be in Cleveland, WWE will once move across the Pacific when they arrive in Germany for Bash in Berlin on August 31.

While Fatu’s debut in WWE is still undecided, there is someone else certain to join The Bloodline soon.

NJPW star headed to WWE

NJPW star Hikuleo ended his NJPW tenure at the Dominion event on June 9 and now is poised to make a move to WWE. Hikuleo is the younger brother of Tama Tonga and cousin to Tonga Loa. It is reported that he will soon make his WWE debut, under the ring name, “Talla Tonga,” after WWE filed a trademark for the same on June 11.

Hikuleo’s middle name is “Taula,” which makes it plausible that WWE is going ahead with this name for his Bloodline run. Right now, it is unclear which side of the faction he will align himself with, but a debut seems imminent and we may get to see him in a WWE ring before Jacob Fatu.

What is your take on the buzz surrounding Jacob Fatu? What do you make of the reasoning behind the WWE not introducing Fatu to the fray? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.