The Bloodline got an unexpected new addition at Backlash.
At Saturday's event in France, Tanga Loa made his WWE debut by helping the new-look Bloodline (Solo Sikoa & Tama Tonga) defeat Kevin Owens & Randy Orton in a street fight. Loa is Tonga's brother. They were seven-time tag team champions together as the Guerrillas of Destiny in NJPW.
The 40-year-old Loa's last match for NJPW took place on March 31. There wasn't any speculation going into Backlash that he would be able to join WWE.
Prior to his eight-year run in NJPW, Loa wrestled in NXT as Camacho.
Owens was about to pin Tonga at Backlash before Loa got involved. Owens gave Tonga a brainbuster off the top rope onto a pile of chairs. He went for the cover, but Loa pulled the referee out of the ring. Loa struck both Owens and Orton with the steel steps, leading to Sikoa & Tonga getting the victory with Sikoa pinning Owens.
Since WrestleMania, The Bloodline's story has seen Sikoa seemingly put himself in charge of the faction with Roman Reigns not around. He's added both Tonga and Loa to The Bloodline while kicking Jimmy Uso out of it.
Paul Heyman, who has been worried about the changes to The Bloodline, said on SmackDown that he hasn't talked to Reigns since WrestleMania. Heyman said he made the decision to pull Reigns out of the WWE Draft on his own because he couldn't subject Reigns to the chaos that's going on within The Bloodline right now.
Backlash was Tonga's first televised match for WWE. It wasn't originally announced as a street fight, but SmackDown general manager Nick Aldis added the stipulation after the teams got into a wild brawl before the bell rang.
Tonga & Loa are sons of pro wrestling legend Haku.
More must-reads: