Tonga Loa to make WWE in-ring debut on SmackDown next week

After arriving at Backlash, we now know when Tonga Loa will be having his first WWE match.

The former NJPW wrestler will make his WWE in-ring debut in a tag team match on SmackDown next Friday. It will be The Bloodline (Loa & Solo Sikoa) vs. The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins & Montez Ford).

Loa was introduced as the newest member of The Bloodline when he helped Sikoa & Tama Tonga defeat Randy Orton & Kevin Owens in a street fight at Backlash. The Bloodline has gotten a new identity in recent weeks with Sikoa taking charge of the group. Tonga and Loa have joined the faction while Jimmy Uso was kicked out.

In storyline, Sikoa claims that Roman Reigns has put him in charge of The Bloodline while Reigns is gone. Reigns hasn’t appeared on WWE programming since his loss to Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 40.

Loa was a seven-time tag team champion in NJPW, teaming with his brother Tonga as the Guerrillas of Destiny.

In WWE, the spelling of Loa’s name has been changed to “Tonga Loa.” It was previously “Tanga Loa.” WWE filed trademarks for both spellings of the name earlier this month.

Next Friday’s SmackDown is taking place from Saudi Arabia one night before WWE’s King & Queen of the Ring PLE. Tama Tonga vs. Randy Orton in a King of the Ring semifinal match will take place on SmackDown. Tonga defeated Angelo Dawkins earlier in the tournament. Both members of The Street Profits were laid out by The Bloodline in that match.

WWE SmackDown (Friday, May 24) —

• King of the Ring semifinals: Randy Orton vs. Tama Tonga
• Queen of the Ring semifinals: Bianca Belair vs. Nia Jax
• AJ Styles meets with Nick Aldis
• Bayley vs. Chelsea Green
• The Bloodline (Solo Sikoa & Tonga Loa) vs. The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins & Montez Ford)

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