“They Pulled 11 Teeth Out Of My Head”: WWE Star Jacob Fatu Opens Up About Brutal Surgery
When Jacob Fatu suddenly vanished from WWE television last fall after a mysterious backstage attack, the internet did what it does best—it started wild speculation. Was it a new stablemate turning on him? A lingering injury? A contract dispute?
Turns out, the real reason was way more painful than any storyline.
Fatu made his triumphant return to SmackDown recently, and fans couldn’t help but notice he looked different. Leaner. Sharper. But while we were all focused on the new physique, no one knew he was hiding a mouth full of fresh trauma.
In a raw and revealing conversation on Busted Open Radio, Fatu finally pulled back the curtain on his hiatus. It wasn’t a wrestling move that sidelined him; it was his own teeth. He admitted that his “mouth was a mess” and that doctors had to perform a serious surgical overhaul, pulling a staggering eleven teeth from the back of his jaw.
Yes, you read that right. Eleven.
He casually mentioned that the original plan was to take out a full dozen, but they stopped just short. While he didn’t dive into the root cause of the dental disaster, it’s a stark reminder that the bumps and bruises we see on TV aren’t the only things wreaking havoc on these athletes’ bodies.
But here’s where the story gets interesting. Being laid up with a sore mouth gave Fatu a lot of time to think. He recalled a piece of advice from his legendary uncle, Rikishi, who warned him that this business moves on whether you’re in it or not.
And boy, was he right.
Fatu noticed that once he was off TV, the constant stream of calls from people looking for a favor or a hookup suddenly went silent. It stung, but instead of getting bitter, he got busy.
He treated his recovery like a second chance. Stuck at home with his jaw wired shut (metaphorically speaking), he doubled down on his diet and training. The result? The chiseled, shirtless version of himself that walked back onto WWE programming.
So, while losing eleven teeth sounds like a nightmare, for Jacob Fatu, it might have been the reset button he never knew he needed. He’s back, he’s healed, and he’s hungrier than ever—even if he has to chew his steak a little differently now.
