Jacob Fatu defeated Drew McIntyre in an unsanctioned match at WrestleMania 42, showcasing a brutal rivalry. Fatu's aggressive tactics included using weapons and attacking McIntyre before he entered the ring.
Key points
Jacob Fatu defeated Drew McIntyre at WrestleMania 42
The match was unsanctioned and featured weapons
Fatu attacked McIntyre before he entered the ring
This victory marks Fatu's second consecutive win at WrestleMania
Mentioned in this story
Allegiant StadiumLas Vegas
Jacob FatuDrew McIntyreWrestleMania 42
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 10: Jacob Fatu reacts after his match against Tama Tonga (not pictured) during SmackDown at SAP Center on April 10, 2026 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Eakin Howard/Getty Images)
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 10: Jacob Fatu reacts after his match against Tama Tonga (not pictured) during SmackDown at SAP Center on April 10, 2026 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Eakin Howard/Getty Images)
Eakin Howard via Getty Images
Jacob Fatu put his rivalry with Drew McIntyre to bed in their Unsanctioned Match at WrestleMania 42, Night 1 in Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. It didn't come easy or without the aid of several big bumps, but the Samoan stood tall for the second year in a row at WrestleMania.
Fatu made his entrance first, then unsurprisingly went on the attack before McIntyre even made it into the ring, drilling him with a suicide dive. Weapons were quickly integrated with the "unsanctioned" nature, as Fatu started pulling tables, chairs, and a toolbox out from under the ring. That felt like a nice little callback to McIntyre's classic Hell in a Cell match against CM Punk. The announcers referenced as much before McIntyre fought back to escape early disaster.
A table was positioned by McIntyre in front of the announce desks. He turned Fatu inside out with a big Clothesline, then grabbed his phone from his brother in the front row — and started bashing it into Fatu's forehead. That was a unique twist on McIntyre's classic selfie-tweet spot. The momentum didn't last for McIntyre. The Scotman upped his aggression quickly as the match progressed. A big Swanton over the top rope crushed Fatu on the outside, and McIntyre went for a Claymore back in the ring after. Missing the finisher, Fatu countered with his Mighty Moonsault, but it didn't get the job done. This was the first time someone had kicked out of Fatu's Moonsault, according to commentary.
The match eventually got back to the use of the various weapons scattered about. Fatu took some shots from a wrench to the forehead — and eyeball — before he was suplexed into a chair. Fatu got his licks back by crashing a chair into the back of McIntyre. He then used the referee's belt, which McIntyre first attempted to use. The toolbox came back into play, but couldn't connect when held by Fatu, who ate the first Claymore Kick of the match, only to kick out.
A table in the ring nearly spelled disaster for McIntyre, who fought his way off to dump Fatu outside the ring onto the first table. It was a nasty crash to the floor for the Samoan. But he survived like a madman once back in the ring, countering a Claymore with a super kick, and knocking McIntyre back onto the table by using the toolbox and hitting his Mighty Moonsault for the win.