Former NJPW Star Hikuleo Officially Gets New Ring Name After Finally Making WWE Debut

By Luke Marcoccia
Tala Tonga standing at ringside Wwe/Getty Images

Former New Japan Pro-Wrestling star Hikuleo made his WWE on-screen debut at Night of Champions in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A prior member of NJPW's Bullet Club faction and a current member of the Guerrillas of Destiny stable, the former IWGP Tag Team Champion signed with WWE in July of 2024 but wrestled his first match on June 13th of this year where Hikuleo competed in a dark match taping for "WWE Main Event" prior to "WWE SmackDown" and defeated Kit Wilson of Pretty Deadly. On their X account, Fightful Wrestling pointed out the subtlety shown during the WWE Night of Champions Post-Show that Hikuleo's name has been changed to "Tala Tonga."

Tala's debut at Night of Champions was also his induction into The Bloodline. Tala, in addition to a returning Tonga Loa, interfered during the WWE United States Championship match between Solo Sikoa and Jacob Fatu, breaking up Fatu's pin attempt before chokeslamming the "Samoan Werewolf" onto the announcer's table at ringside. Sikoa would capitalize by delivering a Samoan Spike to Fatu to win the title and reinforce his Bloodline.

In addition to his reign as IWGP Tag Team Champion, Tala also held the Strong Openweight Championship and the Strong Openweight Tag Team Championship while in NJPW. Tama Tonga and Tonga Loa, both members of The Bloodline in WWE, formed the Guerrillas of Destiny faction in 2008 and would add Hikuleo as a member in 2022 when the three were still part of NJPW. In addition to his time with NJPW, Tala has also wrestled for Impact Wrestling, Ring of Honor, and All Elite Wrestling.

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