Tama Tonga Confirms That WWE Is Interested In Signing Him
New Japan Pro-Wrestling's NEVER Openweight Championship is currently held by Bullet Club founding member Tama Tonga, but it seems as though the NJPW star may have his sights set outside of the promotion. During a recent interview with "Yahoo! Japan," Tonga confirmed that WWE has expressed interest in signing him, sharing that he was open to the idea.
"I will be the best wrestler," Tonga said. "It could be the ultimate legend of New Japan Pro Wrestling, or it could be WWE, because WWE is knocking hard on my door. And I might say, 'Hello.'"
It's possible that Tonga's comments are meant to be somewhat playful, but it's also possible that the NEVER Openweight Champion is looking to make a major move in the near future. According to previous backstage reports on Tonga's NJPW status, his contract with the company will be up shortly, despite the former Bullet Club member signing a new contract with NJPW just last year. If he were to leave, Tonga would join fellow Bullet Club alumni Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows, who departed from NJPW to sign with WWE in 2022. Former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion "Switchblade" Jay White also seems to be on his way out of the company, though it's unknown if he plans to head to either WWE or AEW in the future.
In the past, Tonga was offered a role within WWE, but made the decision to turn down the company's offer in order to tag with his brother. After putting in a few more years working with NJPW, it seems Tonga is leaving the door open to other possibilities this time around.