Backstage News On WWE Signing Tanga Loa

There was a shock debut at WWE Backlash France as Tanga Loa suddenly appeared from under the ring and helped The Bloodline defeat Kevin Owens and Randy Orton. Kevin Owens had the match won after putting Tama Tonga through chairs with a Michinoku Driver from the top rope, only for Tanga Loa to pull the referee out of the ring just before he could complete the three count.

The interference allowed Solo Sikoa to follow up with a Uranage and Samoan Spike to Owens for the win, with the new Bloodline of Sikoa, Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa, and a terrified Paul Heyman standing tall following the Backlash match.

According to Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio, Tanga Loa and Tama Tonga's exits from New Japan Pro-Wrestling and their joining WWE was worked out at the same time.

"Real quick, Tanga Loa's deal and Tama Tonga's were actually together, it's just that...the Tanga Loa thing it didn't get out because New Japan never announced it (his contract was coming due), they never gave him a farewell. WWE obviously never announces anything like this, but this is not like something from the last two weeks, this deal was decided on months ago," Meltzer said.

Tanga Loa previously wrestled for WWE from 2009 until 2014 under multiple personas, including Donny Marlow and Camacho. He was part of New Japan from 2016, forming Guerrillas of Destiny with Tama Tonga, a partnership that saw them become seven-time IWGP Tag Team Champions and three-time NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Champions.

Tanga Loa continued to wrestle for NJPW beyond Tama Tonga's exit, finishing up with the promotion on March 31 with a loss to Great-O-Khan in a Rural Revitalisation Match.

H/T WrestlingNews.co