New Japan's Tama Tonga Reportedly Signing With WWE
Highlights
- WWE signs New Japan legend Tama Tonga, adding to their roster of top talent.
- Tonga's family ties in wrestling industry make his move to WWE significant.
- Transition from NJPW to WWE will be challenging, but Tonga's ceiling in WWE is promising.
WWE has finally landed a huge free agent in Tama Tonga. After recently losing out to AEW for Will Ospreay and apparently Mercedes Mone and Kazuchika Okada, WWE is signing the New Japan Pro Wrestling legend. The news was revealed by the Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer, who said:
WWE sources have confirmed that Aliopate Aloisio Leone, better known as Tama Tonga, is headed to the company...
This Tama Tonga had said publicly that after spending so much time away from his family on long tours, as his own father did, that he wanted to sign with a U.S. company and spend more time with the family. Tonga had been in talks with WWE last year after his New Japan contract expired, but ended up signing for another year in Japan.
Tonga’s past in Japan included being part of The Bullet Club, an offshoot of that exists with former members AJ Styles, Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows. There is also the Bloodline potential. There is no direct blood relationship, he, through Haku, is considered family by the Johnson-Maivia and Anoa’i-Fatu family.
Tama Tonga is the son of wrestling legend Haku, who also went by Meng and at one time Tama Tonga (it's where his son got his wrestling name), and was a big star in WWE and WCW throughout the late 80s and early 90s. At 41, Tama Tonga is in the final chapters of his wrestling career, making his signing with WWE even more important for him and the company.
Tama Tonga & 9 Other Wrestlers With More Titles Than You Realize
Over the years, wrestlers like Tama Tonga have won way more titles than most fans realize.Who Is Tama Tonga?
If you're a casual, mainstream wrestling fan you're forgiven for not knowing who Tama Tonga is. As Meltzer explained, he has a long history with the Bullet Club's former members now in WWE through their time together in New Japan. Tama Tonga began his run there in 2010, and for many years was a tag team star with his brother Tanga Loa, winning the IWGP Tag Team Championships an astounding seven times. In later years, Tama Tonga has been a singles star, becoming a four-time Never Openweight Champion.
As it looked like Tonga's NJPW run was ending, he dropped his title back in January, then came back for one last match this past Saturday, teaming with Tanga Loa one more time in a losing effort against El Phantasmo and Hikuleo. Signing with AEW would have been the easiest route for Tama Tonga, where their more hardcore fans would have immediately known who he is. He will have a harder time in WWE, starting from scratch, and you have to assume with NXT, but the ceiling in WWE is much higher than anywhere else.
