Who is Tama Tonga? WWE’s new Bloodline member, wrestling history, NJPW run, more

Tama Tonga has exploded onto the WWE roster as the newest member of The Bloodline. We’ve gathered all the information you need to know to answer the question; who is Tama Tonga?

Roman Reigns has finally been toppled and following WrestleMania 40, we have a new WWE Champion in Cody Rhodes. Just because Cody finished his story does not mean The Bloodline’s is over, however.

In fact, there are more questions than ever surrounding the next chapter of The Bloodline with fans speculating about who calls the shots. After a powerful showing from Solo Sikoa on the April 12 episode of Smackdown, the WWE Universe can’t decide if he’s in charge, or if The Rock is moving behind the scenes to set up an epic Roman Reigns feud.

One thing that is clear is that there’s some new blood in The Bloodline after a shockingly violent introduction. So, who is Tama Tonga? Where does he fit into The Bloodline? And how did he come to the WWE? We’ve got the answers to your questions.

How does Tama Tonga fit in with the Bloodline?

Tama Tonga (Alipate Fifita) is the son of wrestling legend Tonga ʻUliʻuli Fifita who wrestled in multiple promotions but was known in the WWE as Haku. In the late 80’s Haku was one half of a successful tag team known as The Islanders.

Haku’s tag partner was Samuel Larry Anoa’i Fatu, better known as the Tonga Kid and eventually Tama. You may recognize the names Anoa’i and Fatu as the actual surnames of Roman Reigns (Joseph Anoa’i), The Usos (Joshua and Jonothan Fatu), and Solo Sikoa (Joseph Fatu).

Tama Tonga’s father Haku and his tag partner Tama – from which Tama Tonga takes his ring name – were brothers in bond, if not blood. The elder Tama is brother to Rikishi, uncle to The Usos and Solo, and the father of new WWE signee Jacob Fatu who we have yet to see on screen.

In the past, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson has referred to Haku as “Uncle Tonga” making Tama Tonga a cousin of sorts. These close bonds make him a kind of chosen family member which many in the WWE Universe can probably relate to.

Has Tama Tonga appeared in the WWE before?

Tama Tonga previously tried out for the WWE in 2008 but was unsuccessful and prior to Smackdown on April 12, had never appeared on a televised WWE show. That doesn’t mean that he’s new to wrestling though. Far from it.

Tama began his wrestling training all the way back in 2008 under the instruction of his father Haku and friend of the family Lance Santana. While undergoing this private training, he also enrolled in a wrestling school run by WWE Hall of Famers; The Dudley Boyz.

Along with his brother Tanga Loa, Tama Tonga made his in-ring debut that same year and both tried out for the WWE together. Tanga Loa was successful and spent most of his time in the WWE wrestling as Camacho. Tama Tonga would have to forge a different path.

Tama Tonga’s run in New Japan Pro Wrestling

Following his failed WWE tryout, Tama Tonga headed to another major wrestling territory; Japan. His aim was merely to train in the New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) Dojo. His father Haku had wrestled with the promotion and also as a Sumo.

Thanks to his impressive ring work, Tama quickly found himself employed by NJPW and wrestling in televised matches as early as 2010. He rose quickly and was competing in major events like the Super Junior Tag Tournament and the G1 Tag League.

In 2012, Tama Tonga had a two-month run in Mexico at CMLL, partner promotion of NJPW, an excursion as most young lions do. Upon his return to Japan, he would cement his legacy.

Founding member of Bullet Club

Wrestling die-hards will be very familiar with Bullet Club and those across recent WWE programming may have caught a stray reference or two in recent years. For the uninitiated, Bullet Club was a major heel faction in NJPW made up of foreign nationals who ran roughshod over local heroes and popularized NJPW abroad.

In 2013, Tama Tonga was present for the faction’s birth when he teamed up with Prince Devitt (WWE’s Finn Balor), Karl Anderson, and Bad Luck Fale, Tama’s cousin. Over the years, Bullet Club hosted a veritable who’s who of modern wrestling’s finest from AEW EVPs Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks to WWE Champions AJ Styles and Cody Rhodes. Today, David Finlay, son of WWE’s Fit Finlay, is the current leader of Bullet Club.

Tama’s role in the faction was that of a heavyweight enforcer known for his vicious beatdowns. He partnered in the tag scene with various Bullet Club members picking up titles here and there. But in very Bloodline fashion, it wasn’t until a relative joined him that Tama Tonga properly exploded.

The Guerrillas of Destiny

When Tama Tonga’s brother Tanga Loa was released from the WWE in 2014, he came to NJPW after a brief stint in TNA. During Tanga’s time at TNA, he was in a faction called The Rising which featured Drew Galloway and Eli Drake. You may know them better as Drew McIntyre and LA Knight though.

Shortly after his TNA run, Tanga Loa reunited with Tama Tonga in NJPW’s Bullet Club. Within the greater Bullet Club, the brothers formed an incredibly successful tag team known as the Guerrillas of Destiny.

As part of this tag team, Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa captured IWGP Tag Team Titles seven times. On an entirely unrelated note, their entrance theme was an absolute banger.

Bullet Club Civil War and the Firing Squad

In 2018, Tama leveraged his influence within Bullet Club to try and move the faction in a new direction after some infighting between Kenny Omega and Cody Rhodes. Upon the reconciliation of Rhodes and Omega, the Tongan members of Bullet Club attacked Omega.

Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa, and Bad Luck Fale proclaimed themselves Bullet Club Firing Squad while Cody Rhodes led the rival Bullet Club Elite. There’s a storied history here that would warrant its own book.

The culmination of nearly five years of storytelling saw Tama and Tanga ousted from Bullet Club in 2022 by the faction leader at the time; Jay White. From there Tama Tonga had a successful singles run in which he claimed the NEVER Openweight Championship. He had his final NJPW match in February, 2024.

Tama Tonga joins The Bloodline

And so we come to Tama Tonga’s official introduction to the WWE universe on the April 12, 2024, episode of Smackdown. Following Roman Reigns’ loss to Cody Rhodes and Jimmy Uso’s loss to his brother Jey, Solo Sikoa pushed for “consequences”.

For Jimmy Uso, those consequences came in the form of a sneak attack from a hooded Tama Tonga bursting from the crowd and assaulting him. Afterward, Sikoa finished Jimmy off with some creative chair usage and blocked Paul Heyman’s attempts to contact Roman Reigns.

Backstage a terrified Heyman was stared down by Tonga who delivered a cryptic message. “By order of the Tribal Chief,” Tonga declared. Though the identity of that Tribal Chief is an issue of debate at the moment.

Overall, Tama Tonga is a fantastic pickup for WWE and his presence has reignited The Bloodline story at a time when everyone expected it to slow down. Outside of that, he has a history with many current WWE Superstars including the current WWE Champion.

It’s astonishing how deep a potential roster The Bloodline has and now that Tama is here, it’s not entirely inconceivable that his brother Tanga Loa could follow. But whose side will he take?