Tama Tonga & Shinsuke Nakamura Return to WWE SmackDown

WWE U.S. Champion Sami Zayn made an open challenge for his title, and the wrestler to come out was Shinsuke Nakamura. During the match, Nakamura was going for a Kinshasa to end the match, but then Tama Tonga made his return and interfered. Thus, the match ended in a disqualification.

Post-match ended badly for both Nakamura and Zayn. Tama was joined by his Family Tree stablemates, Tanga Loa, Talla Tonga, and JC Mateo, and they destroyed the champion and challenger. Solo Sikoa would also come out later, and the five of them stood tall over Zayn and Nakamura. It makes sense, since Sikoa was the U.S. Champion until losing to Zayn on the August 29, 2025, episode of SmackDown.

How Long Have The Two Been Off WWE TV?

The last time fans saw Nakamura on SmackDown was on the June 13, 2025, episode, where he lost in the first round of the King of the Ring 2025. The match saw Cody Rhodes defeat not only him, but also former WWE Superstar Andrade, and Damian Priest. Nakamura had been off TV, not because of an injury, but because WWE wasn’t using him.

Tama, on the other hand, according to F4Wonline, had been absent due to an undisclosed injury. The last match he was in was all the way back in April. It was the April 1, 2025, episode, he and Sikoa lost to LA Knight and Randy Orton.

As noted, SmackDown has been dealing with low ratings, so maybe the return of the Family Tree in full force and the enigmatic Shinsuke Nakamura might help raise the bar a little. The brand is also going to undergo a makeover of its creative team, so hopefully that will help someone like Nakamura appear on television more frequently.

The Crown Jewel PLE is set for the same location as this Friday’s SmackDown. The card includes Cena’s last WWE match in Australia, and it’s against AJ Styles. Also, there will be the Men’s and Women’s Crown Jewel Title matches, Rhea Ripley and IYO SKY versus The Kabuki Warriors, and Roman Reigns Vs. Bronson Reed.