Jacob Fatu made his video game debut in WWE 2K25, the same game that based its Showcase mode around The Bloodline. Now, with WWE 2K26 on shelves, The Samoan Werewolf reflects on his journey from doing motion capture for other wrestlers to becoming a playable character himself.
From Mocap to Main Roster
Fatu, who joined WWE in 2024 after nearly a decade on the independent circuit, has a unique perspective on the WWE 2K series. 'I used to do mocap for the video games for 2K, so I know some of the moves that they had me doing was me doing it before I got signed. It's just a full circle moment. Coming from doing the mocap to actually being here now,' he told us.
His children, he says, love seeing him in the game. 'I got seven kids, man, so they love it. It's cool; it really is. And not only that, we talk about family, The Bloodline, and we are really family-orientated.'
The Origin of 'The Samoan Werewolf'
Fatu's iconic nickname has an unexpected origin story. 'I started in KnokX Pro Academy. My uncle Rikishi, Gangrel, and my father, Tonga Kid, trained me,' he explained. 'When I first started training the movie Twilight was hot at the time. Yes, this is how the name came about.'
Initially, he was hesitant. 'I didn't like it at first because in Samoa we don't have werewolves, right? But it just stuck. I had a beard at the time, and my uncle saw the way I moved, the way I am, the way I look, and it reminded him of the werewolf.'
His uncle, known as the Count of California or Black Pearl, teased him about the Twilight character Jacob Black. 'Hey man, have you ever seen the movie Twilight? I didn't know what that was. 'No? Well, there's a guy named Jacob and he has a better body than you.' I'm like, 'dude, where is this coming from?'' Fatu recalled with a laugh. The name stuck throughout his independent career, and he embraced it by researching werewolves.
Dream Match: Jeff Hardy
When asked about his dream opponent, Fatu didn't hesitate. 'It'd be Jeff Hardy. I always say this.' He added that he would willingly take a Swanton Bomb. 'Oh, absolutely. Hey, would he be able to take one for me?' He also named Mr. Perfect, his uncle Umaga, Yokozuna, and his father Haku. 'I really wish they were here to see the success of everything. But overall, they're in a better place.'
Gaming Roots and Family Legacy
Fatu grew up playing wrestling games like WCW vs. nWo: World Tour and WrestleMania 2000, as well as Madden and NBA Live. He would always pick his uncle Rikishi or Rey Mysterio. Seeing his family members in games over the years has been special. 'My first time being in a video game was my father's very first time being in it, and they actually came out with The Bloodline [Showcase mode],' he said.
The Bloodline storyline currently sees Fatu reunited with Roman Reigns and The Usos ahead of Night of Champions. 'We talk about family, The Bloodline, and we are really family-orientated. We ain't a couple guys that just got put together because we're the same race. No, all of our stories were different.'
WWE 2K26 is available now on PS5, Xbox, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC.
