WWE released Jeff Cobb from his contract on May 2, 2026, ending a 362-day run that began with a splashy debut at Backlash and closed with a quiet exit from television. Cobb, who performed in WWE as JC Mateo, was 43.
The release came the same day WWE also let go of Tama Tonga, Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods, according to wrestling reporting that noted the departures as part of a broader shakeup. The timing gave Cobb’s exit extra weight because his last televised match came just eight days earlier, when he teamed with Tama Tonga in a SmackDown loss to Damian Priest and R-Truth on April 24, 2026.
Cobb arrived in WWE on May 10, 2025, at Backlash after eight years with New Japan Pro Wrestling. He aligned himself with Solo Sikoa’s version of The Bloodline that night and helped Jacob Fatu retain the United States Championship against LA Knight, a debut that briefly positioned him as a force in one of WWE’s most visible storylines.
But the momentum did not last. Wrestling insiders had noted frustration around his creative direction during the run, and Cobb never turned the early promise of that Backlash arrival into a sustained place near the top of the card. The disconnect is hard to miss: a veteran who spent years earning credibility in New Japan was brought in for impact, then was released before his first full year was even complete.
That is the part that makes the May 2 cut list stand out. WWE did not just move on from Cobb; it also moved on from one of his recent tag partners, Tama Tonga, along with two of its most recognizable tag team names in Kingston and Woods. For Cobb, the release closes a short WWE chapter that began with momentum and ended with the kind of abrupt roster move that leaves the next step entirely open.
