Browsing: Jacob

The nature of Jacob Fatu’s injury has seemingly been revealed.

The report of the heavyweight star dealing with an injury first came out earlier this week. At the time, it was reported that he was dealing with a major injury that could keep him out of action for a long time but no other details were given.

Fightful Selectrecently provided an update on the situation. They revealed that the former US Champion has actually been dealing with a dental injury and he’s told people that he will be out of action for at least a month:

“It was confirmed by Fightful Select that the injury Jacob Fatu was written off with is a dental injury that will keep him sidelined. He was telling people he wouldn’t be back for at least a month.”

The Samoan Werewolf was written off TV with an angle on this week’s SmackDown. He was originally scheduled to compete in a singles match with Drew McIntyre in the main event of the show.

Nick Aldis confirmed the match to be #1 Contenders bout for the WWE title during the episode. Just before the bell, however, Fatu was shown to have been attacked backstage, and the match was called off. Cody Rhodes then had an impromptu match with McIntyre which ended in a DQ and a big brawl.

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Jacob Fatu has officially been taken off WWE television, and now the real reason for his absence has been revealed. The Samoan Werewolf is facing a long recovery after undergoing major dental and health-related procedures that will keep him sidelined well into 2026.

During the October 17th edition of SmackDown, Fatu was written off programming, sparking speculation about his condition. After the show, fans began asking questions online—and Cory Hays of BodySlam confirmed the situation.

When one fan asked if Fatu was simply getting new teeth, Hays responded directly, “Yes.†He then went further, making it clear this wasnâ€t just a minor procedure, “Heâ€s getting his entire mouth worked on.â€

Another fan pushed for clarity, wondering if this meant something cosmetic like veneers or if it was health-related. Hays replied with a short but telling answer, “Health wise.â€

That makes it clear Fatuâ€s situation is more serious than cosmetic enhancement. With reports already suggesting heâ€ll be out until late 2026, WWE is bracing for a long stretch without one of its most explosive talents.

Do you think Jacob Fatu will return stronger after this setback, or will such a long absence hurt his momentum in WWE? Share your thoughts in the comments.

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Sometimes a WWE Superstar will get injured outside of the ring, and the company has to deal with it. They handled things uniquely with Jacob Fatu.

WWE SmackDown went down at the SAP Center in San Jose, California on October 17. Sadly, that episode included getting Jacob Fatu off television, and that absence could be a longer one.

WWE SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis opened up the show this week by stating that Drew McIntyre versus Jacob Fatu is now a #1 contender match for Cody Rhodes†Undisputed WWE Championship. Then Cody came out to a roar from the crowd.

Cody Rhodes addressed his WWE Crown Jewel loss, but then he moved it along by saying that he will handle SmackDown business. He then hyped the upcoming #1 contenders match, including Jacob Fatu in San Jose, as those fans cheered big time for their hometown boy.

Later on in the night, Jacob Fatu had a backstage segment with Cody Rhodes, where he promised to show him the real meaning of “ghost ride the whip,†after he beats Drew McIntrye. Rhodes seemed down to face Fatu as he said, “I hope youâ€re right.â€

Later on, right before the main event started, Jacob Fatu didnâ€t make it to the ring. Instead, he was shown pinned to the ground under a bunch of production equipment, bleeding from his mouth.

The show cut to commercial after that, as WWE SmackDown personnel flocked to Jacob Fatu as he laid bleeding on the ground. This was a shocking move, but it also wrote him out of the storyline, and itâ€s likely he will be out of action for the rest of the year. After that, Drew McIntyre took to the ring as Jacob Fatu was left injured backstage.

Fans were shocked to hear that Jacob Fatu was sidelined due to a non-wrestling related injury. He will be out of action for some time now. That certainly halted his momentum just as he was really picking up steam.

It was later revealed that Cody Rhodes was set to replace Jacob Fatu during tonightâ€s SmackDown. That was a shame for fans who wanted to see the Samoan Werewolf do his thing.

Whatâ€s your take on Jacob Fatuâ€s WWE absence? Will you miss seeing him on television? Let us know what you think in the comments section!

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WWE is just a few hours away from presenting SmackDown with fallout from Crown Jewel. WWE’s Creative Writing Team spent the afternoon finalizing blockbuster plans for tonight’s show, and now sources have revealed more on what’s in store.

SmackDown will also feature more on the road to Saturday Night’s Main Event and Survivor Series: WarGames. It was previously announced that Cody Rhodes will open the show. The Undisputed Champion is set to speak after his Crown Jewel main event loss to Seth Rollins. It was also announced that Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss will defend the Women’s Tag Team Championship against Zaria and Sol Ruca.

Jacob Fatu was previously announced to face Drew McIntyre on tonight’s SmackDown. However, the match is up in the air due to a report on Fatu suffering from a non-wrestling injury that could keep him on the shelf well into 2026, but that was not confirmed, and WWE has continued to advertise the first-time-ever match. While not confirmed either, sources earlier revealed plans for a major return and title match on SmackDown with Ilja Dragunov challenging Sami Zayn for the United States Championship.

Match And Segment Order For Tonight’s WWE SmackDown

WWE officials have finalized the lineup for tonight’s live SmackDown from the SAP Center in San Jose, California. PWInsider reports that a segment with Aleister Black and Zelina Vega is planned for early in the broadcast as a major follow-up to last week’s on-screen pairing. The real-life married couple is set for a push on the blue brand.

The only match that has not been mentioned before is Los Garza vs. The Motor City Machine Guns, scheduled to air before the main event. Unless some sort of injury angle is planned to write Fatu out of the storylines, or if plans change at the last minute, current plans as of this writing call for his match with McIntyre to be tonight’s main event.

The lineup is subject to change, but the following match and segment order has been decided on for tonight’s SmackDown:

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WWE is still promoting Jacob Fatu vs. Drew McIntyre for tonightâ€s SmackDown — but thereâ€s a major catch. Despite Fatu reportedly dealing with a serious non-wrestling-related injury that could keep him out well into 2026, WWE fired off a tweet at 5 PM ET today hyping the match like nothingâ€s wrong.

The official WWE account posted: “.@jacobfatu_wwe and @DMcIntyreWWE collide TONIGHT on #SmackDown in San Jose!â€

The post included a promotional graphic and confirmed the match is set for 8ET/7CT on @USA Network. But thatâ€s where things get confusing.

According to BodySlam.net, Fatu is currently dealing with a private health issue unrelated to in-ring activity, and multiple sources have said the situation is serious enough that he might not return until sometime next year. This follows speculation after BodySlamâ€s CodyWhodes tweeted a cryptic GIF of Fatu alongside the words: “The bug strikes another.â€

While WWE is still promoting the match, itâ€s believed thereâ€s a strong chance the bout either wonâ€t happen — or will be used to write Fatu off TV. WWE has not issued any public statement addressing his condition, leaving fans to wonder what the real plan is for tonightâ€s show.

Fatu recently returned to WWE television on September 26 and immediately became a major presence, setting up this collision with Drew McIntyre during a wild brawl on the October 10 episode. That momentum might now come to a screeching halt if the injury report is accurate.

Do you think WWE is swerving fans with the Jacob Fatu vs. Drew McIntyre match? Or will they use tonightâ€s SmackDown to officially write him off? Drop your theories in the comments and let us know what youâ€re expecting.

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LOS ANGELES — Jacob Misiorowski held off the Los Angeles Dodgers with 102 mph heat. When he faded, so did the Milwaukee Brewers.

The 6-foot-7 rookie right-hander came out of the bullpen to escape a first-inning jam and struck out nine as the Brewers rallied in a game that remained tied through five innings.

When his velocity dropped in the sixth, Tommy Edman hit a go-ahead single and the Dodgers went on to a 3-1 victory and a 3-0 NL Championship Series lead.

“I think I had a few starts during the year that I felt better, but I felt good,†Misiorowski said. “I did my job and felt like I performed the way they needed me to.â€

Misiorowski debuted in June and went 5-3 with a 4.36 ERA in 14 starts and one relief appearance. Milwaukee has used him three times in relief during the playoffs. He has a 1.50 ERA and 16 strikeouts in 12 innings with three walks.

He threw 17 pitches from 100.1 mph to 102.5 mph from the first through fifth innings, but his fastball ranged from 97.6 mph to 99.1 mph in the sixth.

Will Smith singled with one out on a slider in the middle of the strike zone and Freddie Freeman walked after falling behind 1-2 in the count. Edman, who had struck out twice against Misiorowski, lined a low slider into center on Misiorowskiâ€s 73rd and final pitch. Smith scored for a 2-1 lead as Sal Frelick made a weak throw.

Abner Uribe relieved made a run-scoring error on an errant pickoff attempt.

“We needed him today, and he was there for us,†Brewers third baseman Caleb Durbin said of Misiorowski. “Wish we couldâ€ve had his back a little bit more.â€

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Jacob Fatu could miss an extended time off from in-ring competition due to an undisclosed injury.

After helping Sami Zayn defeat Solo Sikoa for the United States Championship, Jacob Fatu was absent from WWE television for a while. He returned on the September 26, 2025, episode of SmackDown, and entered into a rivalry with Drew McIntyre.

However, a recent report from Bodyslam.net suggests that The Samoan Werewolf is dealing with a “non-wrestling related injury,†which could keep him off television for an extended period of time. The report also stated that the injury could sideline him until 2026, but didnâ€t provide other details about the nature of his injury.

Fatu was scheduled to take on Drew McIntyre on the upcoming episode of SmackDown, but it appears WWE has to put that feud on hold until Fatu returns.

Jacob Fatu Was Rumored As One Name Planned For Survivor Series: War Games

Jacob Fatu was one of the names WWE reportedly had in mind to compete in this yearâ€s menâ€s WarGames match at Survivor Series.

According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, WWE had planned for Jacob Fatu to team with Roman Reigns, CM Punk, Jey Uso, and either Jimmy Uso or LA Knight to take on Seth Rollins, Bronson Reed, Bron Breakker, Brock Lesnar, and Austin Theory inside WarGames.

However, two major injuries have changed the course of this match. Apart from Jacob Fatu getting sidelined, World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins has also sustained a legitimate injury, which he reportedly endured during his match against Cody Rhodes at Crown Jewel: Perth.

It will be interesting to see how WWE adjusts the storylines heading into Survivor Series: WarGames now that Jacob Fatu and Seth Rollins are out of the picture. Fans were also looking forward to seeing Fatuâ€s feud with Drew McIntyre, as it wouldâ€ve been The Samoan Werewolfâ€s first major storyline outside the Bloodline vortex.

Read More: New WWE Contracts Add Lengthy Non-Compete If Talent Is Fired With Cause — Report

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  Ryan S. ClarkOct 15, 2025, 01:25 PM ET

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  Ryan S. Clark is an NHL reporter for ESPN.

New Jersey Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom is expected to miss a couple of weeks because of a lower-body injury, coach Sheldon Keefe said Wednesday.

His second campaign with the Devils has seen him win two of his first three games only to have a 3.89 goals-against average and a .845 save percentage.

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The Devils called up Nico Daws from their AHL affiliate on Wednesday with the expectation he’ll work in tandem with veteran Jake Allen, who left their 3-2 win Monday over the Columbus Blue Jackets because of cramping. Markstrom played for 20 minutes and stopped eight of the nine shots he faced.

Inserting Daws into their goalie lineup is nothing new for the Devils. He has split time between the NHL and AHL the past few years, appearing in 52 games since the 2021-22 season, including a 3-1 mark with a 1.60 GAA and a .939 save percentage over six games last season.

Markstrom’s injury also comes at a time in which the Devils are managing other injuries throughout their lineup. Forward Evgenii Dadonov, who signed a one-year deal in free agency, was moved to injured reserve after suffering a hand injury Thursday in their season opener.

The injury list also includes forward Stefan Noesen along with defensemen Seamus Casey and Johnathan Kovacevic.

Keefe told reporters that Noesen is getting closer to returning. Casey has resumed skating but will remain out of the lineup, while Kovacevic is skating but will still be out for months.

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MILWAUKEE — Chad Patrick didnâ€t get the lowdown from Brewers manager Pat Murphy on when he might pitch in the decisive Game 5 of the National League Division Series, or what leverage he could inherit. The same went for Jacob Misiorowski.

“Nothing. I knew nothing,†Misiorowski admitted. “I knew my name was going to get called.â€

The star rookie took a quick beat to correct himself. “I didnâ€t even know that. I knew that when the phone rang [and] Greeny [bullpen coach Charlie Greene] said itâ€s me, then thatâ€s when I go.”

The Brewers started All-Star closer Trevor Megill on Saturday as an opener, but with the season on the line, it was the two rookies who did the heavy lifting. Misiorowski moved away from his fastball to spin four solid innings — while Patrick played the fireman shortly after to pick up five of the most pivotal outs — and the Brewers were able to vanquish the Cubs and advance to the Championship Series with a 3-1 win at American Family Field.

Misiorowski made headlines this year with his blink-and-youâ€ll-miss-it fastball. He leaned on that heater in his first postseason outing in Game 2 of the National League Division Series on Monday.

So with the season on the line in the winner-take-all Game 5, the Brewers†young phenom bombarded the Cubs with more breaking balls than heâ€s thrown in a game his entire rookie season.

On a night where everyone was on call and every pitcherâ€s role — outside of Megill — wasn’t exactly cemented, itâ€s only fitting that the pitch mix was also improvised. Misiorowski entered in the second inning by throwing heat to Seiya Suzuki, but the Cubs†right fielder took a 101.4 mph four-seamer to right field for a game-tying homer on Misiorowski’s second pitch of the evening. From there, it was a healthy diet of breaking stuff, with the righty throwing 23 sliders and 14 curveballs compared to just 17 fastballs.

“They hit the fastball; they were sitting fastball — so letâ€s go breaker,†Misiorowski explained. “It worked out.â€

In the regular season, Misiorowski threw his fastball at least 46.2% of the time in each start. On Saturday, it was just 31.5%. The four-seamer still played, accounting for five of his nine whiffs on the day and two of his three strikeouts. He allowed three hits and the one run over his four innings without surrendering a walk.

And he still brought heat, throwing 10 pitches at least 100 mph and three at least 101 mph. He has thrown 25 pitches at least 101 mph in his two postseason outings, the fourth-most in the postseason since the advent of pitch tracking in 2008, behind Aroldis Chapman (176), Brusdar Graterol (36) and Jhoan Duran (26).

It was the type of performance that almost makes one forget that there was some doubt on if he would even make the Brewers†postseason roster. He struggled down the stretch and was thrown into the bullpen to see if he could contribute in a different way. Murphy didnâ€t want to give him a “soft landing†because he couldnâ€t guarantee him a postseason spot. Misiorowski needed to earn it.

After throwing seven innings, with a solo shot being his lone blemish this series, itâ€s safe to say that he did.

“He’s really proven something to me that sometimes you don’t understand guys when you first know them, their personalities, that type of thing,†Murphy said. “I think he just decided like, ‘Hey, look, I’m going to be the best version of myself for the boys.’

“And that’s what our talk was today before the game. It’s about the boys. Find your focus. There’s a lot of distractions during this time. There’s the pit in our stomach. That means something special can happen. And you do it for the boys. And I think Miz understood, ‘I owe these guys. I’ve got to do it right.’â€

Misiorowski had the faith in himself, he just needed to make sure his team had that same faith in him.

“I think I responded how I needed to,†he said. “Get a ‘W’ for the team, and itâ€s a lot of fun.â€

Itâ€s not too dissimilar from Patrick, who inherited two runners on base from Aaron Ashby with only one out in a 2-1 game. With the go-ahead run on base, Patrick got Suzuki to line out before fanning Ian Happ, and then he struck out two more in a 1-2-3 seventh.

“Theyâ€re moments like [when] youâ€re a kid,†Patrick said. “You watch it on TV — and Iâ€ve watched a lot of baseball throughout my life, from young to now. Those are moments you always envision yourself in and what you would do.â€

Like he probably did plenty of times in his imagination growing up, Patrick passed with flying colors. For someone who was the last pitcher to make the Opening Day roster, was the odd man out midseason and optioned to the Minors, he was the big leverage arm of the night. And his cutters and some well-placed four-seamers carried the bullpen to Abner Uribe, who got the final six outs.

“Any moment is never too big for Chad,†Quinn Priester said. “Heâ€s just ready to come out and throw his stuff as best he can.â€

After six fruitless trips to the postseason, the Brewers won their first postseason series for the first time since 2018 Saturday. They now have a date with the Dodgers set, the final obstacle between them and their first National League pennant.

Who better to get them to the precipice of history than a couple of rookies rising to the moment?

“I think I was giving everything I’ve got,†Misiorowski said, “and I think I left everything out there.â€

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MILWAUKEE — Jacob Misiorowski rediscovered the form that earned the flamethrowing rookie so much acclaim in the first few weeks after the Milwaukee Brewers called him up from the minors.

He was throwing heat. More importantly, he was throwing strikes.

Misiorowski fired three innings of scoreless relief while reaching at least 100 mph on 31 of his 57 pitches during the Brewers†7-3 victory over the Chicago Cubs in Game 2 of their NL Division Series. He struck out four while allowing one hit and two walks.

It was the type of performance that showcased how much of an impact Misiorowski could make if the Brewers have a long postseason run.

“Miz stepped up,†manager Pat Murphy said. “You guys get all enthralled with MPH. Iâ€m enthralled that he wasnâ€t giving up free bases, kept his composure with runners and that type of thing.â€

Those have been the issues for Misiorowski during his eventful rookie season.

The right-hander garnered so much attention for his overpowering fastball that he was selected an All-Star after making just five starts. In two of them, he won head-to-head pitching matchups with NL Cy Young Award favorite Paul Skenes and three-time Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw.

But heâ€s dealt with plenty of obstacles ever since.

Misiorowski went on the injured list with a bruised left tibia in early August. He returned later that month but allowed 23 runs (22 earned) over 32 2/3 innings from that point on.

His late slide pretty much assured that Misiorowski wouldnâ€t be part of the Brewers†starting rotation for the playoffs, but his pure stuff demanded that he be included in Milwaukeeâ€s postseason plans.

He entered Game 2 with the score tied 3-all in the third inning. Each of his first eight pitches registered at least 102.6, including a top velocity of 104.3.

“I think I was so fired up, adrenaline pumping,†Misiorowski said. “You know, I didnâ€t really know where my feet were, but we landed, so it was fun. It was a lot of fun.â€

When Misiorowski has struggled, he generally has either lost control of the strike zone or struggled to maintain his poise amid adversity. But he managed to balance showing his emotion while also maintaining his focus in Game 2 as he helped the Brewers grab a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series.

Misiorowski issued a one-out walk to Seiya Suzuki in the third inning but struck out Ian Happ and then got Carson Kelly to hit a grounder back to him.

“We needed to get him before he settled in, and he made some pitches to strike out Happ,†Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “If Ian gets on there, then thereâ€s some pressure on him immediately.â€

Misiorowski was so excited after Kellyâ€s grounder that he ran all the way from the pitcherâ€s mound to first base himself to retire the batter before pumping his fist repeatedly. Misiorowski said afterward he handled the play unassisted because he was worried about overthrowing first baseman Andrew Vaughn.

Even so, Murphy used the moment to offer a reminder to the 23-year-old.

“Youâ€ve got to let him express himself, but then youâ€ve got to watch and see if he comes back to where he needs to be,†Murphy said. “Itâ€s hard. He came off the mound in the (third) inning and he was ranting and raving and I gave him a little, like, ‘OK, stay with it.â€

“Heâ€s here at the highest level for a reason, and heâ€s been through some ups and downs. I think heâ€s pretty aware and pretty on high alert.â€

Misiorowski walked Matt Shaw with two outs in the fourth and gave up a leadoff single to Nico Hoerner in the fifth, but didnâ€t let either runner advance beyond first base and ended up as the winning pitcher.

“I think the whole thing was just staying fired up, staying with that adrenaline pumping, and keep going at what I was doing before in (my) first inning,†Misiorowski said.

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