Jeff Cobb really did not waste any time making a huge impact after his WWE release earlier this year.
Just weeks after his release, the former JC Mateo returned to New Japan Pro-Wrestling during the G1 Climax Finals, turned on his old United Empire stablemates and aligned himself with Unbound Co.
Cobb wasn’t done there either.
Speaking after the show, the former Olympian made it clear he never viewed his departure from NJPW as permanent, joking that he had simply been on a “hiatus” before taking a not-so-subtle shot at his former employer.
“I’m back here in New Japan where the real wrestling is.”
Cobb also unloaded on United Empire, blaming the group’s decline on its remaining members after Will Ospreay’s departure.
He singled out Callum Newman in particular, saying his former stablemate’s attitude had changed and promising to settle things with him in the ring.
That really will not take long.
NJPW has already announced that Cobb will face Newman at Destruction in Kobe on September 27, giving the returning star an immediate rivalry after rejoining the company.
Cobb originally spent eight years in NJPW before leaving in 2025 to sign with WWE.
He debuted as JC Mateo, joined The MFTs, and mostly served as muscle for the group before being released roughly a year into his reported three-year contract.
Many fans felt his WWE run was a disaster from the start, especially with the fact that his first match saw him wrestling in street clothes for some reason.
He later admitted he pushed for more opportunities to wrestle during his time in WWE, but they never really came. So, he was never really able to stand out in the company at all.
Now Jeff Cobb is back where he made his name, already has a new faction behind him, and does not sound interested in looking back.
