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An Updated Timeline For Jacob Fatu's Return After Backstage Attack On WWE SmackDown

Jacob Fatu was taken out by a mysterious attacker Friday Night on WWE SmackDown and could be out of action for weeks.
Rick Ucchino|
Jacob Fatu
Jacob Fatu | WWE

Word surfaced late last week that Jacob Fatu was dealing with a non-wrestling related issue and that he would not be able to compete on Friday's episode of SmackDown.

WWE continued to advertise the Samoan Werewolf's match with Drew McIntyre throughout the day, and even doubled down at the start of the show when SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis announced that their bout would determine the new No. 1 Contender for the WWE Championship.

When it came time for the main event to start, however, Jacob Fatu was not able to make it to gorilla position for his entrance. He was instead discovered underneath a metal tower backstage. He was bleeding heavily from the mouth, and several of his teeth appeared to be lying next to him on the concrete floor.

Drew McIntyre, who later wrestled an 'impromptu' match against Cody Rhodes for the WWE Championship that ended in a disqualification, claimed to have nothing to do with the assault. As of this writing, Fatu's attacker remains a mystery.

What is also a mystery is just how long Fatu is going to be out of action. Initial reports had him potentially missing the rest of this year, but now he could be back much sooner.

Although he's gotten physical in multiple backstage segments, Jacob has not wrestled since September. Mike Johnson of PWInsider is reporting that a dental procedure is keeping Fatu from gaining medical clearance to compete, with the belief that he'd be out until after Survivor Series: WarGames in November.

Bryan Alvarez of The Wrestling Observer, meanwhile, is under the belief that Fatu could be back by the weekend of November 29, when the show goes live from Petco Park in San Diego, California.

Having the former United States Champion back in the mix for the final Premium Live Event of the year would be huge, especially with current World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins likely out for the next several months with a shoulder injury.

Rollins will reportedly undergo shoulder surgery to repair the damage done when he performed a coast-to-coast diving headbutt on Cody Rhodes at WWE Crown Jewel. The Visionary figured to be central figure in the Men's WarGames Match, but now the creative team will be forced to go in a different direction.

The Vision Seth Rollins
The Vision turns on Seth Rollins | WWE

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Rick Ucchino
RICK UCCHINO

Rick Ucchino is the Assistant Editor & Content Coordinator for The Takedown on SI. He also works full-time for 700WLW Radio in Cincinnati, Ohio as a local news and sports anchor, in addition to his time covering the Cincinnati Bengals for Sirius XM. Rick has been on the professional wrestling beat since 2019, having provided coverage for a number of outlets, including Fightful, SB Nation’s Cageside Seats and the Bleav Podcast Network. With an educational background in theater, creative writing and journalism, Rick focuses primarily on the storytelling aspect of pro wrestling, but he’s no stranger to the squared circle himself. He had the privilege of training with former WWE & WCW cruiserweight Jimmy Wang Yang for nearly two years and retired early due to back issues with a perfect 1-0 record in singles competition. Rick is a married father of two incredibly adorable children, who are budding pro wrestling fans themselves. Much to the chagrin of their mother. You can reach Rick at rwucchino@gmail.com

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