WWE Reportedly Slaps Tama Tonga With 'Significant' Fine Due To Rehearsal Video Post

By Brie Coder
Tama Tonga approaches the ring for action on "WWE SmackDown" WWE

The concept of keeping the magical essence of wrestling's foundation sacred and hidden from the public eye is the name of the game, although it's hard to do nowadays, with social media and documentaries like "WWE Unreal." However, it appears Tama Tonga is living up to this "Bad Boy" persona amongst WWE officials after recording then posting rehearsal footage ahead of the March 13 episode of "WWE SmackDown" at the Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Arizona.

Andrew Zarian, who first posted this news story on X [formerly known as Twitter], noted that the former two-time WWE Tag Team Champion was slapped with a "significant fine" for his post: "Word going around at SmackDown is that Tama Tonga was fined by WWE for posting a video of rehearsals last week. Was told it was significant of a fine. WWE has an unwritten rule about not recording/posting during rehearsal."

Though Tonga took the original video down, a fan was able to retrieve it. They re-posted the 29 second video. In it, you can see the former Bullet Club member shooting the aisle that leads down towards the ring. Several Superstars are hanging around the ring and outside of it, including the now three-time Undisputed WWE Champion, Cody Rhodes. He then pans the video back over to the left side of the aisle, where MFT leader, Solo Sikoa, is sitting nearby. After, Tonga approaches a production assistant, calls him "T," then asks what time the doors open. "T" informs him the doors are about to unlock, indicating fans are on their way into the arena. Tonga lets out a laugh before ending the video. He did not wrestle that night, but was at ringside during Sikoa and Talla Tonga's non-title match against Wyatt Sicks' Erick Rowan and Uncle Howdy, who won the contest.

Hours before he lost the WWE Tag Team Championships to the unlikely duo in Damian Priest and R-Truth this past Friday, he replied to the backstage heat on X with just a grimacing face emoji. Whether the MFT's dropping their titles on Friday was the second part of the repercussions is valid to think. However, it caused on-screen tension between Tonga and Sikoa, who after the match, was visibly upset about the defeat. Tonga then said to Sikoa that the way he's been obsessing over the Wyatt Sicks it's starting to sound and resemble Roman Reigns.

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