Jacob Fatu’s “attack” on Cody Rhodes is part of an ongoing WWE storyline teasing a future feud over the WWE Championship, built around Fatu targeting top names and sending a statement to the current top champion. As of late 2025, the on-screen reason is that Fatu is positioning himself as a dangerous contender on SmackDown, not that he has a personal real-life issue with Cody.

Why Did Jacob Fatu Attack Cody Rhodes?

From an in-story (kayfabe) perspective, Jacob Fatu has been portrayed as a predatory threat going after the biggest stars he can find, including Seth Rollins and then Cody Rhodes. By confronting and attacking Cody, he signals that he wants the WWE Championship and is willing to jump straight at the brand’s top guy to make his name.

From a meta/storyline standpoint, WWE is clearly using Fatu’s aggression toward Cody as a way to:

  • Establish Fatu fast as a top-level heel threat on SmackDown.
  • Set up a potential big-money Cody Rhodes vs. Jacob Fatu program coming out of Crown Jewel and other PLEs.
  • Add drama around Cody’s title defenses and possible heel shades, since some fans even speculated he might secretly be involved in backstage attacks on Fatu.

“Could Jacob Fatu be Cody’s next big rival?” is the question a lot of late-2025 wrestling coverage is pushing, tying his attacks and confrontations directly to a future title clash.

Quick Scoop

  • Jacob Fatu has confronted Cody backstage, making it clear he’s “coming for” him after dealing with Seth Rollins, which frames Cody as his next major target.
  • On SmackDown, Fatu has been placed opposite Drew McIntyre and Cody in segments that underline him as a violent disruptor in the main-event scene.
  • Fatu being attacked himself (by a mystery assailant) has sparked fan theories involving Cody, Drew McIntyre, and even Randy Orton, deepening the intrigue around all their interactions.

Storyline Context And Timing

  • Around fall 2025, Cody Rhodes is WWE Champion and the face of SmackDown, while Jacob Fatu is being pushed as a “Samoan Werewolf” force tied to Bloodline-adjacent angles.
  • Backstage segments show Fatu stepping to Cody, telling him there’s “no love” but that once a key PLE is over, he’s coming after the champion, which Cody accepts with a simple, confident reply.
  • Later episodes escalate this with more physicality, mystery attacks, and commentary hints that Fatu is circling the title picture and that Cody is under pressure from multiple directions.

Fan And Forum Discussion

Across news sites and fan forums, common viewpoints include:

  1. Fatu as the next big monster heel
    • Many fans see the attack as WWE’s way to rocket Fatu into the main-event tier by going straight at Cody.
 * His intense presentation and association with Bloodline-related stories make him an ideal foil for the squeaky-clean American Nightmare image.
  1. “Homelander Cody” and possible heel shades
    • After a later episode where Cody loses control and brutally goes after Drew McIntyre, some fans speculated he might have orchestrated the earlier attack on Fatu to frame Drew.
 * The black suit, more ruthless behavior, and ambiguous reactions made people wonder if WWE is planting seeds for a darker side of Cody in response to Fatu and others pressing him.
  1. Injury and write‑off angle
    • Reports indicate that Fatu’s on-screen beating and absence are partly to write him off due to a real-life injury expected to keep him out through late 2025 into early 2026.
 * That means some of the “attack” content on TV serves a dual purpose: storyline heat with Cody and others, plus a narrative reason for him disappearing while injured.

Multi‑Angle Motives In Kayfabe

Putting it all together, the kayfabe motives for Jacob Fatu attacking or confronting Cody Rhodes include:

  1. Championship ambition
    • Fatu directly says Cody is on his hit list, making the WWE Championship his primary goal.
  1. Dominance and reputation
    • Attacking the face of the brand sends a brutal message to the locker room and fans that Fatu is not just another midcarder.
  1. Bloodline/legacy tension
    • With Fatu linked to Bloodline-adjacent stories, going after Cody ties into the wider saga of who truly controls the top of WWE after Roman Reigns’ long era.

In short, Jacob Fatu attacks and confronts Cody Rhodes because he wants the top spot, the top belt, and the aura that comes with taking down the champion, all while WWE uses that conflict to elevate him as a main-event monster.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.