Former Tag Team Champion Tonga Loa addresses his WWE release earlier this year, discussing how he sensed the cut coming and sharing his feelings on watching his brothers continue in The Bloodline.
During a virtual signing with K & S WrestleFest, Loa reflected on both of his stints with the company, explaining that his recent exit alongside Jeff Cobb lacked the shock factor of his initial 2014 release.
Sensing The Release And Maturing In The Business
Having experienced a firing earlier in his career, Loa noted that clear-headed reflection and the industry’s climate made the writing on the wall easy to read:
“I had a feeling because I was released the week after the big release of 20-plus talent, and I just felt like it was just gonna happen the following week,” Loa said. “Jeff (Cobb) and I got released the following week, and that week, just filming and stuff, I could just feel it… I’ve been released by the company before…”
Comparing his mindset now to his younger years, Loa added:
“My first time getting released was a shock to me. But I was young then and probably drank too much too but, I was real clear-headed and I could feel it and I just had a better understanding of just the business.”
Despite being let go in May 2026, Loa emphasized that there were no hard feelings and that management’s decision felt strictly business rather than personal.
Sobriety, Working With Family, And Watching From Afar
Looking back on his 2024 return alongside Solo Sikoa’s faction, Loa expressed deep gratitude for his second run, highlighting his sobriety and the rare chance to share the road with his family:
“I enjoyed ‘em both. This time, I enjoyed it more because I was sober… What was even better was I was there with Tama (Tonga) and Talla (Tonga). Even though we got to wrestle in Japan a little bit, we didn’t get to wrestle with Talla that much. But then, when we were all over with WWE and Talla was finally on the main roster, it was fun. It was just nice to work with them and get to travel.”
With legendary father Haku now appearing alongside his brothers on SmackDown, Loa admitted to experiencing some bittersweet emotions watching from home:
“I’m just really happy that our dad is up there now. Not gonna lie, I’m a little envious that my brothers get to work with my dad on the road, but, I’m happy that he’s back.”
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