Throughout 2026, WWE released some surprising names and it was revealed back in May that the company had cut ties with Jeff Cobb. Back in May of 2025, Jeff Cobb made his debut when he joined Solo Sikoa’s new version of The Bloodline and took on the name JC Mateo. Unfortunately for Cobb his run with the company only lasted a year.
While talking about his WWE release on Insight with Chris Van Vliet, Jeff Cobb admitted that he thought about retiring when he said, “Yeah. I was like, ‘Man, was that it? But then at the same time, I was like, I don’t want to really end on that note.”
When asked what brought him back around Cobb replied, “Honestly, watching some New Japan stuff kind of got me. I was like oh, this is good. This is good. Then I was like, maybe I have some unfinished business here. So I start thinking about it more and more. Then honestly, G1 season always gets me hyped because New Japan always puts out before the shows, especially the G1 history, and that always gets you so hyped. Video packages that can tug at your heartstrings.
Dude, this is dope. I was like, you know what? I got to be on this one day. I got to be on the G1 package. Then the only way to do it is to go back to New Japan.”
Luckily for Jeff Cobb he found the motivation to keep going as he has since returned to the ring in New Japan Pro Wrestling.