The Breakfast Club - INTERVIEW: Jacob Fatu Talks SummerSlam 2025, Going From Prison To WWE Champion, Family, Action Figure + More

Episode Date: August 4, 2025

Today on The Breakfast Club, Jacob Fatu Talks SummerSlam 2025, Going From Prison To WWE Champion, Family, Action Figure. Listen For More!YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BreakfastClubPower1051FMSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an iHeart Podcast. The Girlfriends is back with a new season, and this time I'm telling you the story of Kelly Harnett. Kelly spent over a decade in prison for a murder she says she didn't commit. As she fought for her freedom, she taught herself the law. He goes, oh God, Harnett, jailhouse lawyer. And became a beacon of hope for the women locked up alongside her. You're supposed to have faith in God, but I had nothing but faith in her. I think I was put here to save souls by getting people out of prison.

The Girlfriends, Jailhouse Lawyer. Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. My Uncle Chris was a real character, a garbage truck driver from South Carolina who is now buried in Panama City alongside the founding families of Panama. He also happens to be responsible for the craziest night of my life. Wild stories about adventure, romance, crime, history, and war intertwine as I share the tall tales and hard truths that have helped me understand Uncle Chris. Listen now to Uncle Chris on Will Ferrell's Big Money Players Network on the iHeartRadio

app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts. The Stuff You Should Know guys have made their own summer playlists of their must-listen podcasts on movies. It's me, Josh, and I'd like to welcome you to the Stuff You Should Know summer movie playlist, What Screams Summer, where they're in a nice darkened, air-conditioned theater It's me, Josh, and I'd like to welcome you to the Stuff You Should Know Summer Movie Playlist. What screams summer more than a nice, darkened, air-conditioned theater and a great movie playing right in front of you? Episodes on James Bond, special effects, stunt men and women, disaster films, even movies

that change filmmaking, and many more. Listen to the Stuff You Should Know Summer Movie Playlist on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Just like great shoes, great books take you places. Through unforgettable love stories and into conversations with characters you'll never forget. I think any good romance, it gives me this feeling of like butterflies.

I'm Danielle Robay, and this is Bookmarked by Reese's Book Club, the new podcast from Hello Sunshine and iHeart Podcasts, where we dive into the stories that shape us, on the page and off. Each week, I'm joined by authors, celebs, book talk stars, and more for conversations that will make you laugh, cry, and add way too many books to your TBR pile.

Listen to Bookmarked by Reese's Book Club on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. and we got a special guest in the building. Yes, indeed. From the WWE, beating y'all niggas up, ladies and gentlemen, Jacob Fatu. Welcome. Come on with it. Come on with it. Y'all know what I mean.

Why you bring the belt, man? Why you bring the US- Oh man, man, man, man, my little cousin Solo, man, took it from me. Man, him beat me up, him and his whole little MFT squad. But man, bro, we about to double back though this Sunday at MetLife, y'all know what I mean? It's Summer Slam, baby, we live and direct. though this Sunday at MetLife. You got what I mean? The Summer Slam, baby, we live and direct.

I'm from the West Coast, but baby, the East Coast will show me more love than anything. You got what I mean? We'll love your energy. So you're getting it back this weekend? Oh man, I'm about to get it back. That's what I got all red on, baby. We're about to get it back in blood. You feel me?

Hello. Since when I live. Let's start, I like to start from the beginning. Let's start with your journey. Like, how did you get into wrestling? What made you say, I want to be a wrestler man, you know what? somewhat similar to Charlamagne big-brother story. You know me it just took me one time to go to jail bread. That was it

I was 18 and I mean I had my kids and I was locked down I'm you know, even before that as a juvenile man, you know, just just rough-headed man getting going to juvie the whole nine But you know, it's different. It's a when you a juvenile, man, you know, just roughheaded, man, getting going to juvie the whole nine, but you know, it's different. It's when you turn 18, man, you know, you don't get no passes, man. They send you right upstate to that thing. So being locked down, man, it was weird, you know, on the toilet with 12 other dudes facing you.

You know what I mean? So, man, I had a double back, but I was sitting in the cell, man, and flipping through the channels. You know what I mean? You always got that one TV, and who come on, man? My big cousins, the Usos, you know what I mean? Sorry, man, if I get emotional,

because it really doubled back and changed my life. So when I seen them, it was like, man, this ain't it. This ain't the play. I believe you said something, too. It ain't how you start, man, it's how you finish. You know what I mean? And man, it's how you finish. And man, be a product of the environment. You really can't let the environment double back on you.

So man, I just got out and man, I switched everything. Shout out to my wife. So I had two kids and man, I got seven kids all together, but I had three kids at the time and I named two of my kids when I was in jail. And man, it just wasn't a good look, you know? And shout out to my wife, though, man, one of the realest ones,

because man, you know, if you lock down and you don't got nobody on the outside, you ain't getting no commissary, you know what I mean, bruh? Yo, yo, yo, your time ain't coming by quick, so. And I'm answering them calls. Yeah, you know what I mean? And you know, and when they don't answer the calls, you know, bruh, you done seen a lot of cats on the phone.

They going bad on the phone. Thank God, though, you know I had my love, though, there. But man, she took care of me, though. And it was like, how's this woman taking care of me? I'm in jail when I'm supposed to be the man stepping up to take care of my business, you know what I mean? So, man, I got out, got locked down, seen my brothers on TV, made my mind up, wifey didn't even know. But man, when I got out Got locked down see my brothers on TV made my mind up wifey didn't even know but man when I got out, you know

Okay, I'm from California nor the California to be exact, you know, just to lay shawl up So Cal way different than NorCal But if you don't know it's all one know man My wife pulled up not even knowing she came up north came and got me and said bruh, you love me and my kids, bruh You gonna hop up in his whip. You know, I mean we gonna move down and my uncle Rikishi, the Uso and Solo's father, which is my dad's older brother, my father's a Tonga kid, San Fatu. My uncle Rikishi, gang girl,

and my uncle Reno Aniwai, they had a wrestling school called Knox Pro Academy, which is still here, you know, me, Rusev, Solo, we all came out of there, you know, but they was in SoCal, my wife lived in SoCal, so man, it was just, it was God's timing. So by the time I came down there, man, I just got to work, man.

But first, before all that, man, bro, we was bouncing for $60. Man, we was just trying to get through, that's it. Knowing our people and our culture. Nobody wanna see them big Samoan. No, not in the mouth, yeah. Come on. Come big Samoan. No, no, no. No more. Yeah, man. Come on.

Come on with it. But man, we ended up doubling back and I started training and man, we was here. How long did it take for you to start training to actually get into your first real match? Okay, so I was training for about a month. You know what I mean? Mind you, I was the last cousin out of everybody.

You know, because before me, there was four other of my cousins, you know, my uncle in there put everybody's time up in there. That's the bloodline, right? Yeah, yes ma'am. So by the time I came in, you know, I was loose headed already. They was like, oh hell nah, we don't want him,

you know what I mean? So, but man, they took a chance. My trainer, Gangrel, seen me in the ring and told my uncles in there, hey man, y'all got to handcuff this dude to a ring. You know, I didn't know he seen me messing around in the ring and told my uncles in him. Hey, man Y'all got a handcuffed this dude to a ring, you know I didn't know he seen me messing around in the ring and all that and he's you know I thank God I had to tell it, you know Shout out to all my other family members that that that tried it that didn't make it though

Yeah, I mean, but it's all love though, you know, man I just I was just blessed just to have the gift though with it I mean, so you didn't want to be a wrestler. No, not at all I was trying to be a rapper. Yeah, I mean, I mean. Even seeing your father and Rashiki, aren't you related to the Rock Toon? Yeah, well, yeah, some way.

I mean, knowing Samoans and Polynesians, you know, either one way or another, we all lined up. But no, none of us did. My Roman Reigns, the Uso, none of us wanted to wrestle. I mean, we was always told, do this last. So man, we was always just trying to play football, make our own thing. And, you know what I mean? It never worked out, do this last. So man, we was always just trying to play football, make our own thing. And, you know what I mean?

It never worked out. It always came back to wrestling. And I say this all the time, professional wrestling saved my life. I say this all the time, man, professional wrestling, I love it because it brings different cultures, different backgrounds. I mean, eventually we all here right now.

You know what I mean? So man, just thank God, man. It's all God's timing. When you walk out into that arena now, how much of that moment is about proving something to yourself or proving something to the world that doubted you? Man, you know what?

Man, when I walk out, I swear, I give God the glory. I know people, they don't wanna pray, but man, I give God the glory right before I walk out. And then it's crazy to hear the whole stadium chanting, Jacob Fatu is my real name, you know? And it is, Fatu is solo in the Usoz, it's our real name. So it's mind blowing to hear them

coming from being in the jail, Fatu, you getting released to the whole stadium yelling Fatu now. Man, it means a lot, not only that. Half of my kids are old enough to where they recognize it. And man, I'm just trying to do the right thing for them, man. At the end of the day, I just want to get my family set up.

You know, God forbid anything happens, but man, I'm just moving forward, man. It's all about my kids now. I was reading something on Yahoo Sports, and the person who wrote about you and the bloodline of your family, it was a black woman, and she was talking about how she gets upset the way they refer to

how your family is talked about, when y'all beat people or whatever, because they call you guys savages. Oh yeah, yeah. Is that, I mean, I thought that you kinda want that, but I knew she was leaning into the whole because y'all are people of color thing. Yeah, yeah, I mean, just like with Breast hair,

you know, man, we islanders, we Samoans, you know, the time is different now. Back in the day, man, we Islanders, we Samoans, you know, like they, the time is different now. Back in the day, yeah, we used to wrestle with no shoes, crazy hair, head butt, acting like we gonna speak English, you know, but overall, man, we loving people, but you know, on the other side, you know what I mean? Well, we don't wanna go there yet though, you know what I mean? But yeah, man, that's just how they know us

as the Samoan SWAT team. My father was actually the Samoan Savage as well, you know, but you know, times is different now, you know what I mean? So we here now. It doesn't bother you? No, not at all, no, not at all. It's just like the internet. You know, you can see the comments, man,

we charge that to the game, you know, it's a different time now, everybody. Yeah, you know, like back in the day, you know, we can't say anything, everybody's getting so upset over every little thing now. So no, it doesn't bother me at all. I was taught to have tough skin up in here. It goes back to where I told my uncle Rikishi and them,

when I first started training, I was like, why do I need the belt? They said, you need the belt? I said, because you know, I thought I need the belt. And then they said, okay, you're gonna go win the belt. I was like, all right, and then when you hold the belt up, you act like Shawn Michaels. And then my uncle said, as soon as you hold the belt up, you act like, you know, like Shawn Michaels. And then my uncle said, as soon as you hold the belt up, I'm gonna come in there and roll you up one,

two, three. Yeah. I mean, like he had a humble me. Yeah. I mean, cause I had to get humble. So at the end of the day, what that story was, it just to have tough skin and man, just keep it all moving and pushing. That lady would have hated Kamala. That was just a part of the whole ambiance of what, you know, everyone has their characters and their things they lean into. Yeah, no, absolutely. Now recently, Hulk Hogan passed away,

rest in peace, Hulk Hogan. Yes, rest in peace. What does his legacy on wrestling mean to you, if anything? Yeah, you know what, it just goes back to what Hunter said, you know, on SmackDown, you know, Triple H, you know, my boss Eddie, we wouldn't be here for one for him, you know, on SmackDown, you know, Triple H, you know, my boss said it, we wouldn't be here for one for him, you know, cause you know, he was at that time.

But at the end of the day, what it means to me, coming from a father's perspective, man, you know, somebody lost their dad at the end of the day. And I know y'all gonna hear me talk about my kids and you know, a lot because, you know, that's just how I'm looking at it. But overall, man, just like what Hunter said, man, WWE wouldn't be done for one, for him and foremost.

So yeah. Yeah, people act like two things can't be true, right? Cause I see everybody, whenever you mention Hulk Hogan, they say, well, he was also a racist. I don't know him personally. I know the things that he said, but it's just like, yeah, he probably could do that, but he also was, you know,

a motivation for a lot of wrestlers. You know, he did put the WWE on his back and make wrestling what it is today. Come on, especially on that golden era, you know, but it just goes back to, you know, man, that's just somebody dead at the end of the day. I mean, I mean, that's just how I'm looking at it, but yeah, man,

wrestling piece to Hogan though, we're hunting, we're hunting. Now, when you're training, how often do you train and how brutal is it for your body? How much do you have to go into recovery and rehab and all that other stuff? Oh man, it's about four days a week. You know, the traveling really takes a toll on us. You know, man, we're like, we're in and out.

You know, man, we're on the last flight there. Man, we get in, do our job, and then man, we're on the last we're on the last flight there man We get in do our job and then man we on the first flight going back but um, I Had to learn how to respect the business even though I came up in the wrestling business You know, I'm thinking okay. My family's in there. It's gonna be a cakewalk Nah, it um, I really had to learn how to respect it. I realized the sacrifices that my family has done. I realized all the stuff, all the time alone and away from our families that it's a whole lot, man. But the training is different.

I think Brock Lesnar said this too. Every sport is different. Brock Lesnar left wrestling to go to the NFL and he gave those guys they respect, because the training is different. So I think it was like, well, Michael Jordan went to baseball, went back to basketball, his body was different.

So man, the training is on a whole nother level. I'm not saying we're the hardest, we're most badass or anything, but I had to learn how to respect the business as a upcoming young family member, but also as a worker as well. So, man, it's pretty difficult, but the recovery, it takes less than a second

for you to hurt yourself. Takes less, any wrong movement, man, even the way you fall. So, it takes less than a second, but the training, you just have to get trained the right way. I'm not saying this because my uncle, these are my uncles who train me, but man, I seen these guys turn the nobody into somebody.

And I'm one of those nobodies that they turned into somebody. You know what I mean? Because I was trained the proper way. But it's more than just the training, it's the locker room etiquette, you know? It's how you carry yourself around, you know? Like, okay, everybody know my background, but man, if somebody was to say something to me

out there on the streets, you know, I mean, man, I'm done with that tough guy stuff. I ain't here to fight nobody, you know, but this is where our training comes in. You know what I mean? So yeah, man, it comes full circle, not only in the ring, but outside of the ring as well. Did you know how successful your family was growing up?

Man, nah, I grew up just as a kid just enjoying it. Until, you know, until my uncle Rikishi came out during the Attitude Era, you know, this is why I knew we was popping. You know, when the kids was making fun of him over there and man, you know, because we used to get in a fight sometimes, you know, hey man, your uncle got the thong on, you know what I mean?

So, you know, being an uncle, you know what I mean? Being a nephew, trying to defend my uncle. But, yeah, it was around that time. It definitely was around the Attitude Era time, man, when I noticed, like, oh, man, like, man, there's some big things going on around here, you know? How much input did you have in, like, shaping your character? Because it's not really a character, like you said.

No, it's really me. I mean, well, you know, I'm talking that Northern California, you know, and, man, shout out to Uncle Earl, man, Earl Stevens, E. Foddy Water, you know what I mean, I mean, well, you know, it, you know, I'm taking that Northern California, you know, and man, man, shout out to Uncle Earl, Earl Stevens, E-40 Water, you know what I mean? Mr. Fab and all of them and Mozzarella, but man, I'm just, I just want people to know like where I'm from, you know, like I said,

different times, early 90s, you know, you had the Doink the Clowns, you know, the head shrinkers, like this goes back to our family, you know, wearing no shoes, rest of them being wild some mornings to wear. There's so many of us in the family, and shout out to my brother, my older cousin Roman Reigns, the Usos and Solo.

Man, they had a lot though to do with me getting here. WWE made it happen, shout out to Hunter. But man, there's so many of us to where it's like, I don't wanna be known as the cousin, you know what I mean? So okay, how they gonna receive Jacob? How, you know, so there ain't no other way. I don't wanna play no character, so the only way for me to do is just to do me

what I've been doing for the past 12 years and just be myself, you know? I know, once again, just keep going back to my kids, you know, I can't do, I can't tell my kids one thing and I'm doing another. So man, overall, it's just me just being who I am right now, you know what I mean? And so far it's working, I mean damn, bread, it got me over here on the Breakfast Club,

so I think we're doing all right, you know what I mean? You also got an action figure coming into Walmart. Yes ma'am, oh man. And that was, so you were at San Diego Comic Con, talking about it, you presented the figures, but you used to work at Walmart too. Oh hell yeah, man, man, I used ma'am. Oh man. And that was, so you were at San Diego Comic-Con talking about it because you presented the figure. But you used to work at Walmart too. Oh hell yeah. Man, man, I used to do all jobs, man. I used to work overnight at Lowe's, man. Man, I was the best stalker at Walmart, bro. Girl, you go down my aisle, girl, they couldn't

touch me down there. But I was, the crazy thing about that on my lunch breaks, I will, because I'm such a fan of my family. You know, my cousins don't like going outside. But man, I will, because I'm such a fan of my family. My cousins don't like going outside, but man, I love my business. If I didn't love my family and the business, there's no, then I wouldn't be here. I mean, Roman Reigns, Rocky, shit, I'm just gonna, yeah, come on now.

Come on, it ain't even a new Street Fighter movie. Man, come on, man. Man, that shit'll put my goddamn ass up in there. I mean, but, you know, but shout out to Big Roman, man. I mean, we acknowledge the Uso. But man, just to double back on that, it was mind-blowing being over there. Not only that, like for me coming to work in Walmart,

to working over and out at Lowe's, to having little side jobs here and there, anything I had to do just to put food on the table, especially during the pandemic, because Lord, man, everybody know how that thing was. So man, I was doing anything and everything. Sorry to go off the question, but you know, I ain't ashamed because my father did that, you know what I mean?

I seen my father picking up cans during my Papa Warner football games. And I remember I was crying one day, I seen him, you know what I mean? And then my mom was like, man, don't be embarrassed, that's your dad. I will never forget the following week, I asked my dad, I said, dad, you got some lunch money? He opened his wallet, he was like, yeah, yo ass was crying about me picking up them cans.

All right, remember, man, this is where the $10 came from. You know what I mean? So this comes back to, you know, like what you said with me working in one, man, I'll do anything and everything, you know, to take care of them. But man, it's mind blowing, man, especially to have my own action figure, you know,

coming from Sacramento County jail to, man, to having my action figure up in there. And I'm happy that my kids are old enough, you know, to where they're able to see this. You know, because, man, my kids have been through the whole ground with me. You know what I mean? Like, man, they've been in and out through the pandemic, through everything.

So it's really good. Kelly Harnett spent over a decade in prison for a murder she says she didn't commit. I'm 100% innocent. While behind bars, she learned the law from scratch. Because, oh, God, her and that jailhouse lawyer. And as she fought for herself, she also became a lifeline for the women locked up alongside her.

You're supposed to have faith in God, but I had nothing but faith in her. So many of these women had lived the same stories. I said, were you a victim of domestic violence? And she was like, yeah. But maybe Kelly could change the ending. I said, how many people have gotten other incarcerated individuals out of here?

I'm gonna be the first one to do that. This is the story of Kelly Harnett, a woman who spent 12 years fighting not just for her own freedom, but her girlfriends too. I think I have a mission from God to save souls by getting people out of prison. The Girlfriends, Jailhouse Lawyer. Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The Stuff You Should Know guys have made their own summer playlists of their must-listen podcasts on movies. It's me, Josh, and I'd like to welcome you to the Stuff You Should Know summer movie

playlist. What screams summer more than a nice darkened air-conditioned theater and a great movie playing right in front of you? Episodes on James Bond, special effects, stunt men and women, disaster films, even movies that change filmmaking, and many more. Listen to the Stuff You Should Know Summer Movie playlist on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Just like great shoes, great books take you places. Through unforgettable love stories and into conversations with characters you'll never forget. I think any good romance, it gives me this feeling of like butterflies. I'm Danielle Robay, and this is Bookmarked by Reese's Book Club, the new podcast from Hello Sunshine and iHeart Podcasts.

Every week I sit down with your favorite book lovers, authors, celebrities, book talkers, and more to explore the stories that shape us, on the page and off. I've been reading every Reese's Book Club pick, deep diving book talk theories, and obsessing over book to screen casts for years. And now I get to talk to the people making the magic. So if you've ever fallen in love with a fictional character, or

cried at the last chapter, or passed a book to a friend saying, you have to read this, this podcast is for you. Listen to Bookmarked by Reese's Book Club on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. My Uncle Chris is definitely somebody worth talking about. He was the kind of guy that lived in a trailer with an ex-con and a retired stripper,

left loaded machine guns laying around, drank a bottle of whiskey a night, claimed he could kill a man with his bare hands, drove a garbage truck for a living, spoke fluent Spanish with a thick southern accent, and is currently buried in a crypt alongside the founding families of Panama. Listen to the Uncle Chris podcast

to hear all about him and a whole lot more. Wild stories about adventure, romance, crime, history, and war intertwine as I share the tall tales and hard truths that have helped me understand Uncle Chris. This collection of stories will make you laugh, it'll make you cry, and if I do my job right, they'll let you see the world and your place in it in a whole new way.

I can't wait to tell you all about Uncle Chris. Listen now to Uncle Chris on Will Ferrell's Big Money Players Network on the iHeartRadio app Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts. Thank you for bringing that up. I appreciate that. What's crazy is growing up, I thought that came with the WWE starter kit, like the action figure, the video game appearance. Like it take time to get to all of that?

Yeah. I mean, cause not every, well, one thing I'm learning is, you know, I only been in WWE for about a year, but I've been doing this for 12 years. So I'm still learning about everything, but man, my career, man, has been so awesome, so blessed, man, so awesome to where

I am able to be in a video game. I am, now when they're selling the SmackDown Wrestling ring, it's coming with one action figure and that action figure is me up in there. So, man, I'm very happy, man. I'm very blessed, but a lot of people don't even know, like I'm actually a fan of everybody else though. You know what I mean?

So yeah, when they promoted that, man, it just didn't get no better. Not only that, at Comic-Con, five years ago, I was at Comic-Con with my uncle Rikishi, helping him out with his A by 10s. And then this year, man, we doubled back to where, I'm on stage and people are once again chanting the name Phatoo and man, it don't get no better.

Before, WWE was with MLW, right? Yup, I was with MLW. And this goes back to everybody's story different. They said, Jacob, you should have been in WWE five years ago. No, no, no Jacob would have been fired. You know, I needed that growth I was happy like my brother solo, you know, he went from college It didn't take him as long to so every all our stories are different But at the end of the day, it's all God's timing like this I was supposed to come in around this time

Yeah, I mean, but I, shout out to MOW. MOW gave me that platform, you know, and. You're the longest running heavyweight champion. Oh man, yeah. I mean, you know what? We gonna keep it 100. Let's go back to the pandemic, because we didn't have shows.

So, you know, I kind of take half those days off. You know what I mean? So, I'm gonna be real. I ain't gonna sit here and be like, yeah, I held the belt for eight, honey. You know what I mean? Like, we gonna keep it 100, all right? It was minus like half of that,

but MLW gave me that platform, and I'm very thankful. Not only that, New York and Philadelphia raised me on the independent scene. They really did, because man, these cats will call y'all out over here. If yo ass suck, oh, bruh, I seen somebody get water thrown on them in New York just for having a basketball jersey. I mean like bro, yeah, yeah.

Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, the basic guy. Yeah, bro, bro, it be going many out here. But overall, man, shout out to the East Coast, man, especially New York and Philadelphia, man, for real. You got your new song, Hello. Oh, no, okay, listen, we gonna touch bases on that shit. Keep rapping to them. Man, okay, this goes back to before the whole journey started, I was, I mean I was you know trying to be a rep but that song was made

Eleven years ago, you know if people really want to tap in with it. I got seven kids I only named three kids at this time But over wrote man that was that was just some my cousin had got us a studio You know just to keep us out the streets and my this one. I first started training I didn't I didn't know I was coming to WWE or anything But my uncle Rikishi just had that song though. He had it tucked away and threw himself on the chorus. But I didn't even know until it doubled back.

I actually forgot about that song, because man, we've been so busy, but that song was made like 11 years ago though. Yeah, because I was, if you go back and double back on it, I was just trying, I was manifest, I was just trying to, you know what I mean? I was just, I said it, I'm trying to get that house on the beach and get rich off the top rope.

I mean, so yeah, we here now. Now you talking about your seven kids a lot. Yeah. Would you want any of them to wrestle? You know what, man, I will say this, I will say no because I know how the life is on the road and know the ups, downs, you know, because it ain't easy, you know?

But since it kept me out the way to be a father to them, and if they love it, and if they have passion, which is my girls do, my boys is, yeah, I mean, they do their own thing, but my girls, yeah, definitely. And there wouldn't be no other way, and man, they're so into it right now. I mean I was on the independence,

they never used to watch me. Man my kids ain't start watching me till I got on TV. I mean, yeah, I mean usually work like that. But yeah man, definitely my girls though man. I know a lot of people don't want their kids to wrestle but like I said man, it's a whole nother time right now. How old was your oldest?

Man, Papa how, Pop, 19. Pop, 19, then my youngest. Oh, bro, I'm good at this, man. 19, 16, 15, 13, 12, eight, and four. So you 33 with seven kids? Yeah, no, no, 35, yeah. Oh, yeah, yeah, okay, so. So you lost a bunch of matches to condoms.

Oh, come on, brother. Come on. Well, brother, I ain't had no TV. Hey, hey. Look like we got a lot. Hey, hey, hey. Look like we got a lot of TVs in here, though. I know that. Absolutely, listen, I wanna go back

to the mind shift that happened after you got caught up in jail, what was the mind shift that made you say, you know what, not only am I not going back to that, I'm gonna stay focused on doing exactly this? Oh, man, you know what, not only am I not going back to that, I'ma stay focused on doing exactly this. Oh man, you know what, bruh? Oh man, it was, man, it was going to jail, bruh. It was getting that strike. California, we got those three strikes,

and man, it's just going back and forth to court. Man, when I got that strike, and I'm young, I'm 18, but man, just being in there, man, it just, it wasn't right. Man, it just didn't feel right. And I had a lot of partners shoot, passing, a lot of them was getting strung out on drugs. And then I go back home, I love my city, I love Sacramento,

but man, bro, I'm really in and out. It really hurts me when I roll around over there and see people I used to look up to, either they're not there no more or they're all strung out. And it sucks though, because it's like, damn, bro, you was the big homie back then. But it was that. And then, man, I just wanted to get my parents a better life, get my siblings, my kids.

And like I said, I was in lockdown and named two of my kids when I was locked down. And bruh, that was not the play. Especially having a strong woman like that, her taking care of me. Oh no, bruh, I got this backwards. Yeah, let me get out and get this thing going. How many times you do?

Oh bruh, so listen, I was always doing like county years. I was always violating. I never really went to prison, y'all mean? Cause that's what I'm saying. It spooked me, but I was always violating. You know what I mean? So yeah, yeah, yeah. That was it though.

It was just violating. It was never on no drugs or anything. I mean, cause I ain't really get down like that. You know what I mean? But it was just being young and dumb. That was it, man. Do you think that the only way for people to truly, you know, find a different direction is to have something to do? Yeah, because man, why say that? Because I remember

my mom always said, man, you better do something, keep yourself busy, you know, because man, you got too much time on your hands, and you know, that's when everything start, you know, start falling apart and stuff. Not only that, I had to move out of my city. Shout out to the people who stay in their city that got it together. But I'm different, you know? And I'm probably not the only guy who did it. I had to move out of my city to really get focused. You know what I mean?

So that's why I give it up to my wife. You know what I mean? Like that's why I always talk about her and give it up. And she don't like it, but baby we in the breakfast club right now. You know what I mean? Let's go, right? You know what I mean?

So, but yeah, man. Yeah, I think you gotta find some. You know, definitely find something that you passionate about. I didn't grow up wanting to be a wrestler, you know, but man it just clicked and not only that, when I found, you know, when I was good at it, and once again, let's go back to our training. I'm not saying this cause it's my uncle and them,

I'm not saying this cause it's my uncle and them at all, cause they gonna think I'm, no, I didn't, it was the training, bruh. They done turned the nobody into somebody. I love the way you talk about your family. Charlamagne and myself always talk about the biggest thing in our lives is our wives. Yeah, come on.

I've been married 24 years. He's been married, what, 19? I've been married 10, but I've been with my wife for 27. Come on, man. We just talk about, we always tell the young boys, like, find somebody early, because that keeps you out of trouble. Come on, man.

And there ain't no other person, I'd rather have shared what we got going on, because it ain't just Jacob, man. You know what I mean? Like, my wife had a big part with me getting here. And once again, I don't know if she don't like me talking about it, but baby, we here at the Breakfast Club.

You know what I mean? Hello, you know what I mean? What's something fans still don't fully understand about the Bloodline family dynamic? Oh man, now we're really family. This ain't scripted, oh, they're related to them, no. Like, man, we are really, we're really one family. You know, this is really one family

that has been with the company since the mid-70s coming from the Rock's grandfather, High Chief Peter Maivia, you know, to Alpha and Seca, you know, Roman Reigns' dad, you know, to my father, to my uncle, to Yokozuna, man, the great Samu, like, to trickle down to, man, I'm forgetting a lot of people, but then it came all the way down to Roman Reigns,

the best tag team in the world, the Usos, Jimmy and J, all the way to my brother, I mean, we getting into it right now this Sunday, but all the way to Solo Secor, man, these gentlemen, man, not only are they my family, you know, and this goes back to solo man You know summer slam met like this Sunday in the caves me and bread locked down You know it sucks because our kids and our wives at the end of the day, you know, but man, uh, what family don't fight I mean like it ain't a real family of you not fighting

But man it goes all the way down to solo and it came down to me and my brother Lance on Hawaii so man, it goes all the way down to solo and it came down to me and my brother Lance on the white. So man, this goes back to what you, you know, I'm just trying to, I don't wanna just be known as the cousin. You know, when you talk about Jacob Phatoo, oh bro, you gonna feel this. You know what I mean?

So, and like you said earlier, what do we do for the character? This ain't the character, this is me. I don't know how to be no other way. You know what I mean? And especially being in jail, he like, oh hell no, there ain't no other way to be. You know what I mean? Especially being in jail, he like, oh hell no, there ain't no other way to be.

You know what I mean? So yeah man, I'm just trying to just make my footprint though, you know what I mean? This is some more dynasty. When you fight Solo Sunday, how hard is it to push the gas? Y'all in a steel cage, them steel cage matches get violent,

bloody, you know, you gonna look into the audience, see your family, you gonna see his wife, his kids. How hard, how difficult is it gonna be to push the gas? I think, man, sorry, man, I think it's gonna be very emotional growing up with Solo, man, for what he has done ever since Roman left. But man, Solo, man, that's my brother, man, since day one, you know, not a day ago, man.

And I ain't nothing but being loved, but it's gonna be brother, man, since day one, not a day ago, man. And I ain't nothing but being loved, but it's gonna be difficult, man, especially having our wives and our family out there. And not only that, at such a big stage before us, at such a big stage, SummerSlam, where Yokozuna, his father, Rikishi, The Rock, my father, to SummerSlam, it's like our wrestling, it's like WrestleMania, not only that, man, we're back at two days

and what way to do it, bruh, and MetLife out here in New York, you know what I mean? So. This is the first ever two nights SummerSlam. Yeah, first ever two night and once again, this is all God's time and I'm so happy to be a part of this right now. But yeah, man, it's gonna be live,

it's gonna be a little difficult. I'm not gonna sugarcoat stuff like, oh, I'm gonna go in there and beat his ass. No, cause man, he's a may man as well. I mean, but the push to get- How difficult is it with the elements outside? Cause you know, indoors you know what you gonna get. But now you outdoors, so you can get a little rain,

you can get- So this is my first time gonna be working outside with the company. I mean, I don't wrestle in New Jersey outside of a bar in a parking lot all that way. I mean, but that's when I was on the independence, but this is gonna be my first outside show with WWE. But I believe last time they were here,

it was raining last time. You know, it was raining a little bit, but you know, if you go towards the ring, they have these big pillars though, you know what I mean? So the ring will be okay, but it might suck though, if it rains though, because the fans are out there. I don't know if they could cover everything, because there's no rooftop over here.

Yeah, yeah, I mean. You gonna be cool? Hell yeah. You gonna be cool. Man, all wrestlers get nervous, and you know what? They say, it's a wrestling sand. Man, if you're not getting nervous before you're going out, then you're not feeling it no more.

You know, man, I'm having a panic attack right now. But then boom, get that time to myself, get on one knee, man, thank the Lord, wake up. Man, it's go time. You know what I mean? So, and mind you, I didn't plan, okay, everybody plans on coming to WWE. But at the end of the day, I want people to understand,

like nobody could ever touch me because of my background and stuff. Man, shout out to Hunter. Shout out to Triple H, man. This era that he got us going in, man, he made everything happen. WWE made everything happen, man. Shout out to the legal team, man.

Shout out to the people who put up the cameras, who put up the ring, y'all mean? Cause we wouldn't be nothing without them. Okay, yeah, y'all know the wrestlers and stuff, but man, it take a teamwork to make the dream work, man. So shout out to everybody, man, who's been putting it down over there, setting up the ring, the backstages, the catering,

you know, the people who drive the trucks from city to city, you know what I mean? So yeah, man, it's all of us, man, to make this thing work. Man, what legacy do you wanna leave, not just as a fight tool, but as a man who just made it through all the things you've been through? Man, it's just, it's okay to be nice to people. Man, it's, don't believe in the hype, man.

We got an agent called Michael Hayes. He always says this, you know, when you're over, and when you're over, like, when we say that wrestling term over, it's like, you know, like, you think you're popular, you know, when you're over, and when you're over, like, when we say that wrestling term over, it's like, you know, like, you think you're popular, you know, you think you're doing good, but Michael Hayes always says this, man, when you think you're over, you're not over,

you know what I mean, but, man, just do the right thing when nobody's looking, man, that's it, man. Do the right thing when nobody's looking, because God sees everything, and you know, man, forgive, forgive people, like, man, don't have no hate in your heart, none of that. And it's just crazy what it's going down to now. You know what I mean? But man definitely do the right thing

when nobody's looking. But the legacy I wanna live just, you know just can't nobody talk bad about me. You know when God forbid anything happens. Like my kids is gonna know. Bro my dad was straight up. You know what I mean? Like my dad was a good dude.

He did take care of these people. You know what I mean? He did take care of us. Like even when we sell homeless people out. you know what I mean? Like my dad was a good dude. He did take care of these people, you know what I mean, he did take care of us. Like even when we see homeless people out, you know what I mean, bruh, just right there, you know? Or just say hello to people. Man, bruh, we was through the drive-thru the other day, I just said hello to the drive-thru people, you know what I mean, just hey, how y'all doing?

Y'all have a good day. Man, just lit a smile on their face, you know? But you don't know what these people going through, you know what I mean? Like, bruh, they could get ready to go do something else. But man, just by you saying hello, giving them a hug and saying how you doing, bro, you might have changed the whole mood.

You know what I mean? So yeah. Sorry, I don't know if that answered your question though, bro. But yeah, I did. I did, I did. I say the same thing when people ask me like, you know, what do you want your legacy to be?

I just want people to say, yo, he was of service. Yeah. That's it. He was of service, you know? He made somebody's life better. That's it. He was of service, you know. He made somebody's life better. That's it. And you know, this goes back to the Cena thing. When Cena just said, before everything you just asked him,

like, hey, how are you doing? How was you? And you know, I remember you said, well, people do interviews, media, they always say the same thing. But I thought that was dope though, bruh, because not a lot of people do ask us that type of stuff. We always ask, because we know how tough it is.

Of course you're a wrestler and you work and people love you, but sometimes just a matter like, how are you doing, are you good, are you all right? Sometimes just getting like, yo, thank you for asking, because people don't use the kid, and not the dummies the most. That's why he got that blanket on, his iron. You didn't even ask him.

You ain't asked him, what's wrong with you? The iron is not low. Why you got that blanket on? It's not low, he's really trying to hide ask him, J. Goodman. What's wrong with you? Why you got that blank? My iron is not low. Okay, okay, okay. He's really trying to hide his arms from you. He's going through something else. Oh, yeah, he does. No, that's true.

She's right. He gets low and insecure about his arm. Oh, come on, we gone. He had a tank top on one day online and everybody was killing him. So when somebody come in here buff, he like, covers up. Yeah.

That's okay. It's okay. He let him leave himself though. How much do I have to pay you to slap Charlamagne? Oh, no, no. Well, man, I ain't gonna, you know, I grew up watching y'all, bruh, so you know, like I said, we at the breakfast club again.

You might have to pay Big Brother over there with the hat on over there. He want you to slam him. Before you walked in here, he was like, man, Jacob 5'2 coming, I wanna wrestle with him. Oh, man. He did not say that. The way he said it was crazy.

I wanna wrestle with him. Yeah, he said, I wanna wrestle. I wanna wrestle. I wanna wrestle. Shut up. Good luck this weekend. Hopefully want to wrestle with him. Yeah, he said, I want to wrestle. I want to wrestle. Good luck this weekend. Hopefully you come out on top, man. We appreciate you for joining us. Anytime you're in town, you want to pull up on us, please do. Goddamn it! He said anytime you're on top.

He want to wrestle. Goddamn it! Goddamn it! You want to wrestle? All gas, no breaks? All gas, no breaks? Two nights, Summer Slam takes place Saturday and Sunday at MetLife Stadium. If there's tickets still left, go get your tickets and thank you for joining us. 100, thank y'all bro for the show. It's Jacob Fatu, it's The Breakfast Club.

Good morning. Hold up. Every day I wake up, wake yo ass up. It's The Breakfast Club. You all finished or y'all done? The Girlfriends is back's a breakfast club. You all finished or y'all done? The Girlfriends is back with a new season,

and this time I'm telling you the story of Kelly Harnett. Kelly spent over a decade in prison for a murder she says she didn't commit. As she fought for her freedom, she taught herself the law. He goes, oh God, Harnett, jailhouse lawyer. And became a beacon of hope for the women locked up alongside her. You're supposed to have faith in God, but I had nothing but faith in her.

I think I was put here to save souls by getting people out of prison. The Girlfriends, Jailhouse Lawyer. Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Ian Faff, the creator and host of the Uncle Chris podcast. My Uncle Chris was a real character, a garbage truck driver from South Carolina who is now buried in Panama City alongside the founding families of Panama. He also happens to be responsible for the craziest night of my life. Wild stories about adventure, romance, crime,

history, and war intertwine as I share the tall tales and hard truths that have helped me understand Uncle Chris. Listen now to Uncle Chris on Will Ferrell's Big Money Players Network on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts. The stuff you should know guys have made their own summer playlists of their must-listen podcasts on movies. It's me, Josh, and I'd like to welcome you podcast. stunt men and women, disaster films, even movies that change filmmaking, and many more. Listen to the Stuff You Should Know Summer Movie Playlist on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Just like great shoes, great books take you places. Through unforgettable love stories and into conversations with characters you'll never forget. I think any good romance, it gives me this feeling of like butterflies. I'm Danielle Robay and this is Bookmarked by Reese's Book Club, the new podcast from Hello Sunshine and iHeart Podcasts where we dive into the stories that shape us on the page and off. Each week, I'm joined by authors, celebs, book talk stars, and more for conversations that will make you laugh, cry, and add way too many books to your TBR

pile. Listen to Bookmarked by Reese's Book Club on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.