Zilla Fatu officially signed his WWE NXT contract on the August 18, 2026 episode of the developmental brand, following his debut appearance the previous week. The signing segment, overseen by General Manager Robert Stone, dissolved into a near-brawl involving Fatu, NXT Champion Tony D'Angelo, Grayson Waller and Cruz Montana.
Stone revealed that Fatu's contract contains a clause guaranteeing his first NXT match will be for the NXT Championship. As a result, the title bout previously set for NXT Heatwave was expanded into a Fatal Four-Way, with Fatu joining D'Angelo, Montana and Waller in the main event.
The 26-year-old is the son of the late Umaga and a member of the Anoa'i wrestling family. His arrival, built over recent weeks on NXT, immediately places him at the center of the brand's championship picture heading into Heatwave.