During a confrontation with LA Knight on WWE SmackDown, the new United States Champion, Solo Sikoa, made a significant declaration regarding the status of his cousin and rival, Jacob Fatu. Sikoa asserted that Fatu is now “gone” from the picture.
This announcement comes as the latest development in a bitter family feud and follows a brutal attack on Fatu. On the July 4th edition of SmackDown, Fatu teamed with Jimmy Uso to defeat Sikoa and JC Mateo. The victory was short-lived, as Sikoa’s entire faction, MFT, launched a post-match assault that culminated with Fatu being driven through the announcers’ table.
Sikoa’s claim that Fatu is gone directly stems from that attack, providing a storyline explanation for his absence from the program. The conflict between the two cousins escalated significantly at Night of Champions on June 28, where Sikoa captured the United States Championship from Fatu after interference from his new allies, Tala Tonga and Tonga Loa. The loss ended Fatu’s 70-day reign that began at WrestleMania 41.
With Jacob Fatu now out of action, the path has been cleared for another family member to step into the fray. In Fatu’s absence, Jimmy Uso is now set to challenge Solo Sikoa for the United States Championship.