JC Mateo, formerly known as Jeff Cobb, had been rumored to debut in WWE ever since his departure from NJPW last month. Those rumors became reality when he finally made his first appearance at Backlash. Amid the ongoing speculation about his future with the company, the superstar recently shared why he decided to join WWE now and not earlier.
JC Mateo Opens Up About Why He Didn’t Sign with WWE Before
Solo Sikoa, who previously hinted at introducing a new member to The Bloodline, brought the former NJPW star into the faction at Backlash. On the May 16 episode of SmackDown, Sikoa introduced Cobb to the WWE Universe under a new name: JC Mateo. Mateo also made his in-ring debut last Friday, defeating LA Knight with some help and distraction from The Bloodline.
Although Mateo is finally part of WWE, he revealed in a recent interview with “KUAM News” that he could have joined the company earlier but chose not to. He explained that he was waiting for the right circumstances, and WWE finally agreed to his terms last year.
“I wanted everything to be the way I wanted,” Mateo said. “We started talking again in November 2024 over Zoom meetings, and [replying to the] concerns that I had, they pretty said, ‘Okay, the way you want it, let’s do it.’”
Mateo Received a Huge Pop on His Debut
Mateo’s surprise appearance at Backlash came during the fatal four-way match between Jacob Fatu, LA Knight, Drew McIntyre, and Damian Priest for the United States Championship.
With tensions building between Sikoa and Fatu, and rumors swirling about a potential betrayal, The Street Champion shocked fans by introducing Mateo as the newest member of The Bloodline. The former NJPW star helped the champion retain his title, and his debut became one of the most talked-about moments of the night.
During the same interview, Mateo reflected on the incredible crowd reaction he received: “It’s pretty cool to hear a live reaction, especially for somebody like [me]. Coming into the WWE system after making a name for myself outside of WWE, it’s always scary. When you debut in WWE, you’re kind of like, ‘Oh man, I hope people know who I am.’”
It was a special moment for him, exciting and a bit scary, but everything worked out perfectly. Both his Backlash and SmackDown appearances received massive reactions from fans. Mateo’s future in WWE looks promising, and it will be exciting to watch how he makes waves in his new home.