Jeff Cobb Says Jafar Smash Was Potential WWE Name - Fightful
Cobb said WWE handed him two pages of possible ring names, including JONAH, before he settled on JC Mateo.
- Former WWE Superstar Jeff Cobb revealed that WWE pitched "Jafar" as a potential name when he joined in May 2025, though he ultimately selected JC Mateo from a two-page backstage list.
- During his one-year tenure, Cobb aligned with The MFTs on SmackDown alongside WWE Superstar Solo Sikoa, Tama Tonga, and Tonga Loa, though fans scrutinized his lack of direct Samoan family connection.
- Friends talked Cobb out of retiring after his May 2026 release, when he felt uncertain about continuing his wrestling career and questioned past decisions.
- Cobb revealed he underwent a 15-minute surgery in Japan to remove a benign scalp growth for $100, which changed his perspective on prioritizing personal health.
- Driven by NJPW's G1 Climax 36, Cobb returned to New Japan Pro-Wrestling in August 2026 and currently competes as one-third of the NEVER Openweight Six-Man Champions with the Knockout Brothers.
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11 Articles
'Maybe Cancer' — Former WWE Star Reveals Terrifying Health Scare
Former WWE Superstar JC Mateo (now Jeff Cobb) recently opened up about a frightening health scare. The revelation came during his appearance on Chris Van Vliet’s “Insight” podcast. Mateo recalled discovering a lump on the back of his head years before finally having it removed in Japan. The procedure took just 15 minutes. However, the doctor’s unexpected warning left him stunned. The former WWE star said, “Yeah. So I noticed I had this lump on t…
Jeff Cobb Says Jafar Smash Was Potential WWE Name - Fightful
When Jeff Cobb signed with WWE, he became JC Mateo, as many wrestlers who join WWE often change the name they went by in other promotions. The name changing process almost always consists of a wrestler submitting a list of potential names or seeing a long list of potential names. For Cobb, when he got…
Jeff Cobb Recalls Process Of Getting His WWE Name, Unprofessional Meeting With Canyon Ceman
Jeff Cobb continues to peel back the layers of his time in WWE. Despite being a major signing from the world of New Japan Pro Wrestling, Jeff Cobb’s WWE tenure lasted just shy of one year. Upon his arrival, the star was given the name “JC Mateo” and was put into one of SmackDown’s most...
Jeff Cobb Reveals Why He Turned Down WWE Offer In 2021
Former WWE Superstar JC Mateo, better known to wrestling fans as Jeff Cobb, has revealed why he rejected an opportunity to join WWE in 2021, recalling an unusual conversation with former company executive Canyon Ceman. During an interview with Chris Van Vliet, Mateo discussed his negotiations with WWE and explained how a Zoom meeting with […]
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