Summary

Jacob Fatu said Roman Reigns helped settle him down just before he walked out for his WrestleMania 42 match against Drew McIntyre.

Speaking in a new interview with Daniel Cormier, Fatu said the weight of the moment did not fully hit him until he was ready to make his entrance. He recalled feeling emotional and nervous, then seeing Reigns backstage moments before heading out.

Fatu went on to beat McIntyre in the Unsanctioned Match, and he later reflected on that win again in the aftermath of his WrestleMania 42 victory over Drew McIntyre.

Quote from Jacob Fatu

Fatu said Reigns reminded him to slow down and take in the moment before the match:

"Nah, but yesterday was, it was emotional. It didn’t hit me until I actually was getting ready to walk out. I’m so nervous. I seen a couple cats on the way. I seen my big Uce, I seen the Tribal Chief roaming range yesterday. Right before I walked out. He still calls me Jake, Jakester, Jakey, you know what I mean? So he had to (tell me), you know, ‘hey, man, calm down. Enjoy the moment,’ you know? Something that my wife always tells me, but Roman was like, ‘just take it all in,’ and before I went out, man, being ready, having my gear on and locked in, man, just thinking about all the tough times, all the struggle, everything to bring me to this moment right here. I mean, come on, man. I’m very blessed to be in WWE for two years and be 2-0 at WrestleMania right out the gate."

What Roman Reigns' advice says about Jacob Fatu

Roman Reigns showing up in that moment adds another layer to Jacob Fatu's rise, because Fatu is no longer talking like a wrestler just happy to be on the card. He is framing WrestleMania as a milestone in a fast climb that now has him standing across from one of WWE's biggest stars.

That matters even more after Fatu confronted Reigns on Raw following WrestleMania. If WWE keeps leaning into that tension, Fatu's comments make this feel less like a random challenge and more like the next step for a wrestler who has already established himself quickly on the biggest stage.

Sources

Jacob Fatu while speaking with Daniel Cormier