Jeff Cobb was reportedly set for a major singles push in WWE before those plans were ultimately scrapped following his arrival.

Cobb competed under the name JC Mateo during his short WWE run before being released as part of the company’s post-WrestleMania 42 roster cuts on April 24.

JC Mateo WWE push plans changed

In the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer reported that WWE originally viewed Cobb as a potential singles star when he first joined the company.

“Cobb was at first planned for a big push as he was to work with key people in singles in plans that never ended up happening.”

However, Meltzer noted that those plans changed after WWE evaluated him internally.

“For whatever reason, after seeing him, he became a face in the crowd of the MFTs, a group built around Sikoa, and with Tama Tonga getting the screen time and Talla Tonga as the monster.”

Before signing with WWE, Cobb arrived with a strong reputation from both the independent scene and New Japan Pro-Wrestling.

During his career outside WWE, Cobb captured championships including the NEVER Openweight Championship and the ROH World Championship.

Many expected his combination of power, athleticism, and in-ring ability to translate into a major role within WWE programming.

Instead, Cobb became one of several supporting members of The MFTs alongside Solo Sikoa, Tama Tonga, and Talla Tonga.

According to Meltzer, Tama Tonga largely received the majority of the faction’s television focus while Talla Tonga was positioned as the dominant monster figure within the group.

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