Karl Anderson recently spoke about the role he played in bringing Tama Tonga to WWE.
During an appearance on Busted Open Radio on Tuesday, Anderson said he texted Triple H after Wrestle Kingdom 17 to let him know that Tonga's contract with NJPW was expiring soon.
Anderson said:
After my Tokyo Dome match in 2023, which Triple H let me do because we signed back with WWE and I was still a champion in New Japan. And he still allowed me to go back and do two more dates with New Japan Pro Wrestling with no issue at all. I remember texting Triple H and telling him that Tama Tonga's contract is coming up and I think Tama is a full-blown can't-miss if you ask me. And he wrote back right away. It took a year to get it done but, like I said, I'm a big believer in things happening for a reason.
Tonga defeated Anderson for the NEVER Openweight title at Wrestle Kingdom 17 in what was Anderson's final match in NJPW. Tonga's final NJPW match took place at The New Beginning in Sapporo on February 24, 2024. He had been with the company since 2010.
Anderson continued to say of Tonga:
I think it's great that Tama's had 15 or 16 years all in New Japan Pro Wrestling, to come into WWE and show them that experience and that he is ready for prime time. It's unlimited right now for what Tama Tonga can pull off in the WWE. I'm excited to watch.
Tonga made his WWE debut on Friday's episode of SmackDown and helped Solo Sikoa attack Jimmy Uso. Anderson says WWE didn't tell Tonga he would be debuting that night.
He had no clue he was going to debut that night either, which is kind of WWE-style. They'll bring you in and then you gotta debut.
It was pretty fun to just watch my friend and brother go through the fact that he knows he's about to go on live national television for the first time ever, really. I'm proud of him. I think he knocked it out of the park.
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