Jacob Fatu Beating Roman Reigns Would Change Everything
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Recently, All Elite Wrestling had one of those moments that instantly splits the fanbase on the April 15, 2026, episode of Dynamite: Spring BreakThru in Everett, Washington.
Darby Allin winning the AEW Championship from MJF on Dynamite was not something most people had penciled in. In fact, it felt like one of those “WWE would never do this” type of title changes. It was fast, sudden, and built more on shock than anything else.
And naturally, the reaction was loud. A chunk of fans immediately questioned it. Too soon. Wrong guy. Not the moment. All the usual discourse. But then something interesting happened.
Instead of stalling out or getting exposed as a bad decision, Darby has arguably followed it up exactly the way a champion is supposed to. He has defended the title in strong television matches against the likes of Tommaso Ciampa and Brody King, with two highly recommended matches.
The reign so far has not felt like a disappointment, it feels alive. Unpredictable, but exciting. And more importantly, it gave AEW weekly stakes that didn’t feel recycled.
Which leads to the real question: What if WWE actually did this?
Can WWE Capitalize On Momentum?
Let’s imagine a scenario. At WrestleMania, Roman Reigns defeated CM Punk to capture the World Heavyweight Championship. The crowd expects the usual post-Mania trajectory. Reigns holds, he dominates, challengers line up, and we settle into the familiar pattern of protected title defenses and long-term “Bloodline” plot.
Now comes Backlash. His first defense is Jacob Fatu.
On paper, it’s a showcase match. In reality, it’s the kind of match most fans already assume the outcome of before it even starts. Roman retains, we move on, and nothing really shifts. But what if it did?
What if WWE actually pulled the trigger on a shock title change? May 9th, cousin versus cousin. Fatu beats Reigns. Clean or chaotic, it doesn’t matter. The point is the moment itself, the reset. This is a win that doesn’t feel “safe,” both in kayfabe and outside of it, but instead feels like it forces the entire show to breathe differently the next week. And then you run with it.
Jacob Fatu doesn’t become a transitional placeholder. He becomes a bigger problem. A wild, violent, unpredictable champion who turns weekly television into something that feels less scripted and more chaotic in presentation. Suddenly every challenger is taken aback. They’re not lining up for Roman Reigns again, they’re chasing a new, unstable force. A Samoan Werewolf.
This could lead to so many different stories branching off of this win. Will fans complain? Yes! 100%, they will. But, I have belief in Jacob Fatu as a wrestler and performer that he could change the minds of disgruntled fans, and prove that Roman Reigns doesn’t need another 400 day title reign. Instead, show that holding the title for one month can still be efficient if you follow it up correctly.
Now, is this likely? No, probably not.
WWE rarely operates in shock value when it comes to top-tier championship pictures, especially with someone as structurally protected as Roman Reigns has been for years. The brand is built around Bloodline lore and Roman Reigns being the OTC that breeds long arcs, and protecting the hierarchy at all costs.
But that’s exactly the issue.
Because while predictability creates stability, it also creates stagnation when nothing ever truly shifts. And right now, WWE television often feels like it’s waiting for the next predefined chapter instead of reacting to the last one. Now, this is a chance to keep that same Bloodline lore going, but push it into a different, newer direction with “little cousin” Jacob actually shocking the Tribal Chief.
AEW just proved that fans may complain in the moment, but they stay engaged when outcomes feel uncertain. A shocking title change doesn’t automatically mean bad booking, it can mean momentum, if followed up correctly. That’s the key difference.
Give The Fans A Moment
It’s not about randomness. It’s about keeping viewers engaged.
While Roman Reigns vs. CM Punk was arguably one of the most entertaining stories going into WrestleMania, it feels like the follow up could fall back into what people complained about previously, when the Bloodline reigned supreme.
Jimmy and Jey Uso have already aligned theirselves with Roman again. Now, instead of falling back into that same Bloodline story we had a few years back, this is a chance to spice things up.
Darby Allin’s reign has shown that risk can still produce compelling television when the follow-through is strong. So the question isn’t whether shock title changes work.
It’s whether WWE is willing to find out again.
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