Jacob Fatu received some camaraderie from his long-time wrestling friend, Royce Keyes, during Friday Night SmackDown as he prepared for his World Heavyweight Championship match at Backlash the next day.
After a stern warning from Jey and Jimmy Uso in the ring, Fatu was seen wandering backstage where he casually bumped into Keyes. They have a history, having previously worked together in various wrestling promotions before Fatu joined WWE.
Keyes encouraged Fatu, reminding him, “I heard your cousins saying outside, forget about that noise. For us, failure was never an option,” adding that their determination always outweighed uncertainty. He insisted Fatu should go out there and win, saying, “Werewolves, Jacob Fatu are all gas and no brakes. People like us are gonna get everything we want.”
The two share a bond from their early wrestling days in the Bay Area, and Keyes recently shared his experiences with Fatu in an interview. Fatu is set to face Roman Reigns at an upcoming live event in Tampa, Florida, where he heatedly delivered a promo shortly before the two squared off.
During his speech, the Usos interrupted, with Jey Uso warning Fatu he would be defeated. Fatu retaliated with resolve, stating, “This isn’t just a main event. This is for my family. If there’s anything my family would do for me, it’s to become WWE World Heavyweight Champion.” He issued a warning to the Usos as he left the ring: “If you try to get in my way, I’ll turn this whole damn family tree upside down.”
Later, Jey Uso mentioned to Keyes that he needed to keep to himself, as he might attract unwanted attention from the “tribe leader.”
Cody Rhodes dodges Gunther’s ambush
Gunther appeared to be on the verge of signing with the SmackDown roster, with Paul Heyman aiming to finalize an arrangement that night. However, Cody Rhodes interrupted while Gunther was meeting with SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis.
Gunther, upset about Rhodes taking the spotlight, stormed out of Aldis’ office and headed toward the ring, where Rhodes had been dealing with the fallout from Gunther’s previous attack. Gunther quickly turned the tables and placed Rhodes in a sleeper hold.
Heyman, seizing the moment, revealed to Rhodes that the contract he held pertained to the Undisputed WWE Championship match scheduled for The Clash in Italy on May 31, but claimed Rhodes had to deliver it himself.
As Heyman exited, Gunther emerged from the crowd and attempted to strike Rhodes, but Rhodes fought back instead.
SmackDown match results
- Tiffany Stratton defeated Kiana James, retaining the United States title.
- Tara Tonga overcame Damien Priest.
- Ricky Saints won against Matt Cardona.
- Jaycee Jayne, Fallon Henry, and Laney Reed triumphed over Alexa Bliss, Charlotte Flair, and Rhea Ripley, thanks to Jade Cargill’s interference.
- Lois Keyes defeated Tama Tonga.
