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Of all the rivalries WWE Creative teased at the 2025 Men's Royal Rumble match for Roman Reigns, one stood out to a Hall of Famer. The veteran called it the creation of a 'star' by the sports entertainment giant.
CM Punk and Seth Rollins were the two major names Roman Reigns predominantly worked with on Saturday. A triangle program in some form or fashion was hinted at this season. However, there was a moment when The Tribal Chief met his cousin, 'The Samoan Werewolf' Jacob Fatu, in the middle of the ring.
On the Busted Open podcast, Bully Ray singled out Jacob Fatu, calling him a star on the rise. He claimed the 32-year-old did not look out of place and stood in the ring as a legitimate threat to Roman Reigns.
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"All they did was stare at one another. All they did was stand there. All they did was walk towards each other. Why is that such a big deal? Because Jacob [Fatu] looked like he belonged because he did belong," Bully Ray said.
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The Hall of Famer praised Fatu for his presence in the ring and how he proved to the higher-ups who put him in that spot that he is a top talent on the roster:
"Jacob's facials, his body language — everything about him at that moment, sharing the ring with Roman [Reigns], sharing the spotlight with Roman, said, 'I belong in this spot.' You put me in this spot for a reason, and I'm going to make everyone believe that I deserve and earned to be here," he added. [From 6:25 to 7:11]
Has Jacob Fatu redeemed himself and earned his place as a formidable foe to WWE's Roman Reigns?
In another recent Busted Open episode, Mark Henry recalled Jacob Fatu being a liability for the sports entertainment giant. He urged AEW to sign Fatu, but they were not even interested.
Henry claimed that The Samoan Werewolf found his way, cleaning up his act. The Hall of Famer noted that the 32-year-old has a lot to lose today, as opposed to back then, especially because the latter is a father. According to the World's Strongest Man, Jacob Fatu has the potential to become a John Cena kind of babyface eventually:
"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," Mark Henry said.
Henry also called the 32-year-old Samoan "the star" of the 2025 Men's Royal Rumble. Swipe the post above to view the face-off between Roman Reigns and Jacob Fatu at the 2025 Men's Royal Rumble match.
If you use any of the quotes, please credit Busted Open and give an H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription.
