Jacob Fatu is back, wearing a walking boot, but the Samoan Werewolf returned to WWE television on Smackdown in Orlando, Florida on August 17.
Fatu helped Solo Sikoa and Tama Tonga lay waste to Roman Reigns in the show’s final segment, and it made one very clear: the Original Tribal Chief will be receiving some reinforcements soon.
The numbers game is not in Reigns’ favor, and with him now firmly in as a babyface, it’s only a matter of time before his help in fighting this stage of the Bloodline War is provided. Before the latest episode of Smackdown, Reigns had gotten the better of Sikoa and Co., but he hadn’t interacted with Jacob Fatu before Friday’s show.
Reigns returned at SummerSlam in Cleveland earlier this month after being off WWE television since April at WrestleMania. Reigns destroyed Solo, helping Cody Rhodes retain his WWE Championship, but Fatu suffered an ankle injury late in that match. It was unclear if his failure to clash with Reigns was planned.
Fatu was injured and didn’t appear on the August 9 episode of Smackdown, fueling suspicion he could be out for an extended period. Fatu’s return on Smackdown marked the first time he mixed it up with Reigns and the first time the latter took an L in a scrap since he returned. The events prove how seriously WWE is taking Fatu’s push and the level at which they’re building him as a force.
With Reigns potentially taking the short end of the stick for another week or so, an ally or two is likely on the way. One obvious choice is Jimmy Uso, whom we haven’t seen on WWE programming since Solo Sikoa and Tama Tonga attacked him. There’s also a chance we could see Jey Uso reunite with his brother and Roman Reigns.
If Tonga Loa is trusted again to play a significant role in this feud after a few high-profile botches, yet another member of the Samoan Dynasty could be called upon to even the odds. Tonga Loa and Tama Tonga’s brother Hikuleo has reportedly signed with WWE, and he could be an option to join either side.
Also, remember that it has been a while since we saw Paul Heyman on WWE television. In July, Solo and Co. put the Wiseman through the announcer’s table, and when he returns, it’s almost certain he’ll play a role in the Bloodline saga again. Bad Blood, the PLE scheduled for October 5 in Atlanta, figures to feature the Bloodline extensively.
We’re almost certainly headed for another iteration of the Bloodline Civil War at Survivor Series at the end of November in Vancouver.
Stay tuned for the latest WWE developments and potential storyline concepts following Raw.
