JC Mateo—formerly known as Jeff Cobb—has opened up about his transition from NJPW to WWE, culminating in his debut at WWE Backlash 2025. In a recent interview with KUAM News, Mateo shared his nerves before appearing in St. Louis to aid Jacob Fatu in his U.S. Title match.
\”I didn’t come up through the WWE system. I made a name for myself outside of WWE. So, it’s always scary when you’re gonna debut on WWE and you’re kind of like, ‘Oh man, I hope the people know who I am.’\
Mateo\’s fears were quickly silenced as he earned a huge ovation during Backlash. Mateo is grateful that WWE\’s HD cameras weren\’t able to pick up his emotional reaction to the response.
\”Hearing that reaction firsthand was like, very—thank goodness their camera didn’t zoom in on my arms but the goosebumps, it was there for sure.\
Mateo’s path to WWE has been far from typical, but that only makes the moment more meaningful now he is here. As the latest member of the Bloodline, fans can expect to see plenty of the former IWGP Tag Team Champion on WWE programming.
