WWE star Jacob Fatu had been out of in-ring action for nearly three months due to a legitimate dental surgery that resulted from an October backstage attack storyline. However, during the recent episode of WWE SmackDown, Fatu made a surprise return, dramatically impacting the main event scene. His appearance played a crucial role in Drew McIntyre winning the Undisputed WWE Championship from Cody Rhodes in a Three Stages of Hell Match, as he struck McIntyre with a superkick and then turned his attention to Rhodes.
According to Dave Meltzer on the latest edition of Wrestling Observer Radio, WWE had initially planned a Triple Threat storyline involving Fatu, McIntyre, and Rhodes, and those plans were already underway as they headed into Survivor Series. However, with Fatu unavailable at that time, the company shifted direction, allowing McIntyre to move into a singles program with Rhodes sooner than expected. Meltzer noted that even though the match was accelerated, the overall direction of the storyline “didn’t materially change anything.”
Meltzer also mentioned that now that Fatu is medically cleared, WWE may revisit the original idea, as he was positioned for a major push before his injury. The positive crowd response in Berlin confirmed that his momentum had not faded, and we could soon see Fatu back in the main event picture.
