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Jacob Fatu Snaps At WWE Backlash As Roman Reigns Escapes With The World Title

By Faiz Ahmed • Published May 09, 2026 20:51 EDT
jacob fatu roman reigns wwe
Jacob Fatu used the Tongan Death Grip on Roman Reigns, Raw, April 27, 2026 - Source: WWE.com

The most highly anticipated match at WWE Backlash 2026 was set for the main event of the show as Roman Reigns defended a World Championship in the promotion for the first time since WWE WrestleMania XL.

Roman was crowned the World Heavyweight Champion at WrestleMania 42 last month after he defeated CM Punk for the title. Following his win, he was confronted by his cousin, Jacob Fatu, on the WWE RAW following WrestleMania.

Ever since then, Jacob has been after Reigns’ WWE World Heavyweight Title as he wants to become the champion to provide a better life for his family and his kids. He attacked Roman with the Tongan Death Grip to get him to agree to the match.

The two men wrestled in singles action tonight as Fatu began the match on the front foot. He took the action outside shortly after the match began and attacked the OTC with the Tongan Death Grip once again.

Roman got back into the match after attacking Fatu’s right arm and continued to deal damage to his limb. Fatu went toe-to-toe with his cousin and shocked him after kicking out at one following a Superman Punch from Reigns.

Fatu then came back into the match and took out Reigns with a running hip attack, but as he went for another, Roman retaliated with another Superman Punch to knock him out. He slowed down the pace of the bout and attacked Jacob with the Drive-by Dropkick.

Jacob Fatu snapped on WWE Backlash tonight

He looked to put Jacob through the table, but he locked the Tongan Death Grip once again and followed it up with a Powerbomb through the announce table. He pushed Roman in the ring and went for another hip attack, but Roman met him midway with a Spear for a two count.

Roman Reigns looked to go for another Spear, but Fatu was prepared this time and reversed it into a pop-up Samoan Drop. He followed it up with the Mighty Moonsault, but the OTC kicked out in the nick of time to stay in the match.

They traded blows in the middle of the ring before Fatu hit Roman with two successive Hip Attacks. He then locked in the Tongan Death Grip again and almost had Roman pass out before he got out of it.

Roman retaliated with three Superman Punches to Jacob and hit him with another Spear, but it was Fatu’s turn to kick out at two this time. Jacob then went for the Death Grip once again, and Roman went to the corner to get out of the move, and got hold of the turnbuckle covering in desperation, exposing the steel.

On instinct, he then smashed Jacob into the exposed steel and hit him with the Spear to pick up the win. Following the match, an irate Fatu attacked Roman in the ring and even took the referee out with a Pop-up Samoan Drop.

He continued to choke Roman Reigns out in the ring as the rest of the officials came out to tear him away from Roman, but he attacked everyone in his path, including Adam Pearce. Fatu looked to head to the back after attacking Roman, but came back to choke Roman out one final time and posed with the WWE World Heavyweight Championship as the show went off-air.

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