As previously reported, Jeff Cobb, formerly known as JC Mateo, was released from WWE at the beginning of the month along with several other talents. He had been part of the MFTs on SmackDown.
In the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer noted that Cobb was backstage at NJPW’s Wrestling Dontaku, which took place on May 3rd and 4th. The report also mentioned that Cobb is believed to still have a residence in Japan.
However, it remains unclear if he will be joining NJPW. Meltzer suggested that while it wouldn’t be surprising if Cobb ended up in AEW, his chances of arriving there as a star are lower than when he joined WWE last year. Additionally, the report stated that Cobb will officially become a free agent from WWE on July 24th.
Cobb made his WWE debut at Backlash 2025, where he helped Jacob Fatu retain the United States Championship against LA Knight, Drew McIntyre, and Damian Priest. Previously, Cobb was a prominent foreign star in NJPW and also wrestled a few matches for AEW during his time there.