Toa Liona Explains Why He Almost Turned Down Extra Work Early In His Career

Six months after making his AEW debut, it was revealed that Toa Liona had officially signed with the company alongside his tag team partner, Bishop Kaun. 

Now, over a year later, Liona and Kaun stand as two-thirds of the ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Champions, which they hold alongside Brian Cage. Together, the trio has risen to become one of the most formidable stables across the rosters of AEW and Ring of Honor. 

None of this, though, would have been possible if Liona's wife hadn't convinced him to take up some extra work during the early portion of his career.

During a recent episode of "AEW Unrestricted," Liona admitted that he almost turned down an opportunity from AEW producer QT Marshall. "So [my family] moved to LA and started doing that and started training with [Rikishi] just back and forth, and then the opportunity came where I got in contact with QT [Marshall]," Liona explained. 

"Then, just like I told you guys earlier, man, at first I said, 'No.' I knew you only get one chance, one opportunity, and the first impression is everything, so I was scared. And I spoke to my wife and she [was] just like, 'Why? Why didn't we move down here?' And I was like, 'That's a very good point.'"

Liona clarified that he never physically declined Marshall's offer, but his mind continued to hold serious doubts. Initially, he told Marshall that he didn't feel ready for the opportunity, but after some persuasion from his wife, and encouragement from Marshall, he accepted. He later made his AEW debut in October 2021 as he and Mike Reed took on former AEW Tag Team Champions FTR (Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood) on an episode of "Dark: Elevation."