Former New Japan Professional-Wrestling star Hikuleo made his WWE on-screen debut at Night time of Champions in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A previous member of NJPW’s Bullet Membership faction and a present member of the Guerrillas of Future steady, the previous IWGP Tag Workforce Champion signed with WWE in July of 2024 however wrestled his first match on June thirteenth of this yr the place Hikuleo competed in a darkish match taping for “WWE Principal Occasion” previous to “WWE SmackDown” and defeated Equipment Wilson of Fairly Lethal. On their X account, Fightful Wrestling identified the subtlety proven in the course of the WWE Night time of Champions Put up-Present that Hikuleo’s identify has been modified to “Tala Tonga.”
Hikuleo’s WWE identify is formally Tala Tonga. pic.twitter.com/aGMF0ePvRP
— Fightful Wrestling (@Fightful) June 28, 2025
Tala’s debut at Night time of Champions was additionally his induction into The Bloodline. Tala, along with a returning Tonga Loa, interfered in the course of the WWE United States Championship match between Solo Sikoa and Jacob Fatu, breaking apart Fatu’s pin try earlier than chokeslamming the “Samoan Werewolf” onto the announcer’s desk at ringside. Sikoa would capitalize by delivering a Samoan Spike to Fatu to win the title and reinforce his Bloodline.
Along with his reign as IWGP Tag Workforce Champion, Tala additionally held the Robust Openweight Championship and the Robust Openweight Tag Workforce Championship whereas in NJPW. Tama Tonga and Tonga Loa, each members of The Bloodline in WWE, fashioned the Guerrillas of Future faction in 2008 and would add Hikuleo as a member in 2022 when the three have been nonetheless a part of NJPW. Along with his time with NJPW, Tala has additionally wrestled for Affect Wrestling, Ring of Honor, and All Elite Wrestling.
