When Jacob Fatu Will Make His WWE Return Revealed

Jacob Fatu won't be gone from WWE programming for very long. 

Fatu was absent from last week's edition of Friday Night SmackDown, with it being noted that Fatu was out of action with an injury. Tonga Loa also held the WWE Tag Team Title belt previously won by Jacob Fatu, suggesting the former MLW World Heavyweight Champion would be out of action for a little while. 

That seemingly won't be the case, however. According to Mike Johnson of PWInsider, Jacob Fatu is currently expected to be back before the end of August. A source also blew off the idea that Fatu was legitimately hurt at SummerSlam. 

Dave Meltzer has since reported on Wrestling Observer Radio that Fatu is off TV at the moment as WWE are looking to keep him away from Roman Reigns. 

"Essentially the deal is they're basically trying to have Jacob Fatu completely avoid Roman Reigns, because everyone has to sell for Roman Reigns and they want to keep Jacob Fatu special by not bumping around for Roman Reigns. So he's going to be gone when Roman Reigns is around until whenever the time is right to hook them up. That's the situation. I can't say he's not hurt but everything that's happening was planned to happen, I can say that, as far as avoiding those two locking up for now until later when they will lock up. I think they want Roman with Solo first and then Jacob Fatu after that," Meltzer said.  

Fatu appeared to suffer an injury during the SummerSlam main event after putting Cody Rhodes through the announce table with a splash. Fatu was planned to sell an injury following the move to avoid him having a confrontation with the returning Roman Reigns but the extent to which he was meant to sell the issue is unknown. Fatu has since been spotted in a walking boot but the belief amongst talent and staff in WWE is that Jacob Fatu is actually okay. 

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