How Long Ago WWE Planned Tanga Loa’s Debut Revealed

WWE

Backstage details have emerged on Tanga Loa signing with WWE, following his surprise debut at Backlash 2024.

Tama Tonga made his televised WWE in-ring debut during the May 4 show, teaming with Solo Sikoa to battle Randy Orton and Kevin Owens in a street fight.

Tonga and Sikoa were ultimately victorious, following interference from Tanga Loa, Tama Tonga’s brother and Guerrillas of Destiny tag partner.

This debut was surprising for several reasons, including the fact that many fans didn’t even know he had finished up with NJPW.

Per Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio, Tanga Loa’s WWE debut had been in the works for several months, with Loa’s deal decided on “months ago”.

Discussing Loa’s jump from NJPW to WWE, Meltzer said:

“Tanga Loa’s deal and Tama Tonga’s were actually together, it’s just that (with Tanga Loa), it didn’t get out because New Japan never announced (his contract expiring), they never gave him a farewell.

“WWE obviously never announces anything like this, but this is not like something from the last two weeks, this deal was decided on months ago.”

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Tama Tonga notably debuted for WWE during the April 12 edition of SmackDown, attacking Jimmy Uso and aligning himself with Solo Sikoa.

Another star rumored to be joining the Bloodline has reacted to Tanga Loa’s WWE debut, which you can read more about right here.

Footage has emerged showing a previously unseen botch from Tanga Loa’s debut segment, click here to read more.

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• Bloodline
• Tanga Loa
• NJPW
• wwe

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