Tama Tonga

Real Name: Alipate Aloisio Leone
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 209 lbs.
Date of Birth: October 15, 1982
Hometown: Nuku’alofa, Tonga
Pro Debut: 2008
Trained By: Team 3D Academy
Finishing Move: Dream Catcher

Biography

– Leone is the adopted son (biological nephew) of fellow wrestler Haku
– Leone served six years in the US Air Force, working as a mechanic on the stealth bombers
– In January 2008, Leone joined the Team 3D Academy in Florida alongside his brother Tevita. The pair would compete as ‘The Sons of Tonga, Kava (Alipate) and Nuku (Tevita)’
– On June 20, 2009, Kava defeated Richard J Criado to win the WXW Television Title, but would lose it do CJ O’Doyle later that day
– In January 2010, Leone (as King Tonga Jr) began a stint with WWC in Puerto Rico
– On April 4, The American Family (King Tonga Jr & Idol Stevens) defeated Lightning in a Handicap Cage Match to win the WWC Tag Team Titles, but would lose them to Los Aereos before the end of the month
– In May 2010, Leone joined New Japan Pro Wrestling under the name ‘Tama Tonga’, an early ring name of his adoptive father
– At Wrestle Kingdom V, Tama Tonga, Tiger Mask, Tomoaki Honma & Wataru Inoue defeated CHAOS (Tomohiro Ishii, Yujiro Takahashi, Gedo & Jado)
– At The New Beginning 2011, Tama Tonga defeated Hiromu Takahashi
– At Wrestling Dontaku 2011, Tama Tonga & Hirooki Goto defeated Makoto Hashi & Takashi Sugiura
– At Destruction 2011, Tama Tonga & Hirooki Goto defeated Shinsuke Nakamura & Ultimo Guerrero
– At Wrestle Kingdom VI, Tama Tonga & Captain New Japan defeated Tomoaki Honma & Kyosuke Mikami in a pre-show dark match
– Tama Tonga was sent to Mexico’s CMLL on a learning excursion in October 2012
– On November 13, 2012, Tama Tonga & Damian El Terrible defeated Diamante Azul & Atlantis to win the CMLL Tag Team Titles
– On December 11, Tama Tonga & Damian El Terrible defeated Valiente & La Mascara to retain the CMLL Tag Team Titles
– Tama Tonga returned to Japan at Wrestle Kingdom 7, teaming with Wataru Inoue & Captain New Japan to defeat CHAOS (Tomohiro Ishii, YOSHI-HASHI & Jado) on the pre-show
– At The New Beginning 2013, Tama Tonga, Jushin Liger, Tiger Mask, Yuji Nagata & Manabu Nakanishi defeated CHAOS (Takashi Iizuka, Tomohiro Ishii, Toru Yano, YOSHI-HASHI & Jado)
– At Invasion Attack 2013, Tama Tonga & El Terrible defeated Valiente & La Mascara to retain the CMLL Tag Team Titles
– At Wrestling Dontaku 2013, Tama Tonga unveiled himself as a founding member of BULLET CLUB
– At Dominion 2013, BULLET CLUB (Tama Tonga, Karl Anderson & Bad Luck Fale) defeated Yuji Nagata, Tomoaki Honma & Captain New Japan
– On September 14, Tama Tonga & Rey Bucanero defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi & Jushin Liger to win the CMLL Tag Team Titles
– In October 2013, Tama Tonga returned for a second stint with CMLL
– At New Japan’s 42nd Anniversary Show, BULLET CLUB (Tama Tonga, Prince Devitt & Bad Luck Fale) defeated Ryusuke Taguchi, Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma
– At New Year Dash 2015, BULLET CLUB (Tama Tonga & Bad Luck Fale) defeated CHAOS (Kazuchika Okada & Toru Yano)
– On June 13, 2015, Tama Tonga defeated Joey Janela to win the JCW Heavyweight Title
– At Power Struggle 2015, BULLET CLUB (Tama Tonga, Doc Gallows & Cody Hall) defeated Juice Robinson, Togi Makabe & Captain New Japan
– On November 13, BULLET CLUB (Tama Tonga & Doc Gallows) defeated PCW Tag Team Champions The Forgiven (Matt Conard & Jason Kincaid) by DQ
– At New Year Dash 2016, BULLET CLUB (Tama Tonga, Yujiro Takahashi, Doc Gallows, Karl Anderson & King Haku) defeated Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Satoshi Kojima, Tomoaki Honma, Togi Makabe & KUSHIDA
– At The New Beginning in Osaka 2016, BULLET CLUB (Tama Tonga, Yujiro Takahashi & Bad Luck Fale) defeated The Briscoes (Mark & Jay) & Toru Yano to win the NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Titles, but would lose them back again three days later
– Later that month, Tama Tonga verbally agreed to join WWE, but would renege on the deal after New Japan offered him a new deal and signed his brother Tevita (now known as Tanga Loa) to partner him
– In March 2016, the brothers began teaming as ‘The Guerrillas of Destiny’
– At Invasion Attack 2016, The Guerrillas of Destiny defeated Great Bash Heel (Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma) to win the IWGP Tag Team Titles
– At Wrestling Dontaku 2016, The Guerrillas of Destiny defeated Great Bash Heel to retain the IWGP Tag Team Titles
– At Global Wars 2016, BULLET CLUB (Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa, Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson) defeated Alex Shelley, Chris Sabin, Matt Sydal & KUSHIDA
– In June 2016, Tama Tonga returned for a third stint in Mexico
– At Destruction in Hiroshima 2016, The Guerrillas of Destiny (Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa) defeated Roppongi Vice (Rocky Romero & Beretta)
– At Destruction in Kobe 2016, BULLET CLUB (Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa, Kenny Omega & Bad Luck Fale) defeated Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii, Mark Briscoe & Jay Briscoe
– At King Of Pro Wrestling 2016, The Guerrillas Of Destiny defeated The Briscoe Brothers (Mark & Jay) to win the IWGP Tag Team Titles
– At Power Struggle 2016, The Guerrillas of Destiny defeated CHAOS (Tomohiro Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI) to retain the IWGP Tag Team Titles
– On February 19, 2017, The Guerrillas of Destiny won a six-team Battle Royal to become the first WrestleCircus Big Top Tag Team Champions
– At NJPW’s 45th Anniversary Show, BULLET CLUB (Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa, Kenny Omega, Yujiro Takahashi & Bad Luck Fale) defeated Jushin Liger, Yuji Nagata, Tiger Mask, Togi Makabe & David Finlay
– At Sakura Genesis 2017, BULLET CLUB (Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa, Yujiro Takahashi & Chase Owens) defeated Tiger Mask, Tiger Mask W, Yuji Nagata & Togi Makabe
– At Dominion 2017, The Guerrillas of Destiny (Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa) defeated War Machine (Hanson & Rowe) to win the IWGP Tag Team Titles, but would lose them back at the G1 Special in Long Beach two weeks later
– On December 17, 2017, BULLET CLUB (Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa & Bad Luck Fale) defeated Los Ingobernables de Japon (BUSHI, EVIL & SANADA) to win the NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Titles. They would lose them to CHAOS (Tomohiro Ishii, Toru Yano & Beretta) at Wrestle Kingdom 12, before regaining them the following day at New Year Dash 2018
– At The New Beginning in Sapporo 2018, BULLET CLUB (Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa & Bad Luck Fale) defeated Togi Makabe, Ryusuke Taguchi & Toa Henare to retain the NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Titles
– At Honor Rising 2018, BULLET CLUB defeated Jushin Liger, Cheeseburger & Delirious to retain the NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Titles
– At Sakura Genesis 2018, BULLET CLUB defeated Ryusuke Taguchi, Togi Makabe & Michael Elgin to retain the NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Titles
– On August 12, BULLET CLUB (Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa & Taiji Ishimori) defeated BULLET CLUB (Matt Jackson, Nick Jackson & Marty Scurll) to regain the NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Titles
– On September 15, BULLET CLUB defeated Juice Robinson, David Finlay & Ryusuke Taguchi to retain the NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Titles
– On September 30, The Guerrillas of Destiny defeated The Young Bucks (Nick & Matt Jackson) to win the IWGP Tag Team Titles
– At King Of Pro Wrestling 2018, BULLET CLUB (Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa, Taiji Ishimori & Bad Luck Fale) defeated BULLET CLUB (Nick Jackson, Matt Jackson, Hangman Page & Chase Owens)
– At Power Struggle 2018, BULLET CLUB (Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa & Robbie Eagles) defeated Togi Makabe, Tomoaki Honma & KUSHIDA
– At The New Beginning in Osaka 2019, The Guerrillas of Destiny (Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa) defeated Toru Yano & Togi Makabe
– At Honor Rising 2019, The Guerrillas of Destiny defeated Los Ingobernables de Japon (EVIL & SANADA) to win the IWGP Tag Team Titles
– At NJPW’s 47th Anniversary Show, BULLET CLUB (Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa, Chase Owens, Bad Luck Fale & Hikuleo) defeated Toru Yano, Togi Makabe, Ren Narita, Shota Umino & Ayato Yoshida
– At the ROH/NJPW G1 Supercard event, The Guerrillas of Destiny (Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa) defeated Los Ingobernables de Japon (EVIL & SANADA), The Briscoes (Mark & Jay) and Villain Enterprises (Brody King & PCO) to retain the IWGP Tag Team Titles and win the ROH Tag Team Titles
– At Wrestling Hinokuni 2019, The Guerrillas of Destiny defeated Togi Makabe & Toru Yano to retain the IWGP Tag Team Titles
– At War Of The Worlds 2019, The Guerrillas of Destiny defeated Jay Lethal & Jonathan Gresham and The Briscoes (Mark & Jay) to retain the ROH Tag Team Titles
– At Dominion 2019, The Guerrillas of Destiny defeated Los Ingobernables de Japon (EVIL & SANADA) to retain the IWGP Tag Team Titles
– At NJPW’s Southern Showdown event, The Guerrillas of Destiny defeated Mikey Nicholls & Juice Robinson
– At the NJPW Royal Quest event, The Guerrillas of Destiny defeated Aussie Open (Kyle Fletcher & Mark Davis) to retain the IWGP Tag Team Titles
– At Destruction in Beppu 2019, The Guerrillas of Destiny defeated CHAOS (Tomohiro Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI) to retain the IWGP Tag Team Titles
– On September 27, 2019, The Guerrillas of Destiny defeated Roppongi 3K (SHO & YOH) to retain the IWGP Tag Team Titles
– At OTT’s 5th Anniversary Show, The Guerrillas of Destiny defeated Kings Of The North (Damien Corvin & Bonesaw)
– On February 1, 2020, The Guerrillas of Destiny defeated FinJuice (David Finlay & Juice Robinson) to regain the IWGP Tag Team Titles, having lost them at the previous month’s Wrestle Kingdom event
– The Guerrillas of Destiny won the 2020 World Tag League, defeating FinJuice (David Finlay & Juice Robinson) in the final
– At Wrestle Kingdom 15, The Guerrillas of Destiny defeated Dangerous Tekkers (Zack Sabre Jr & Taichi) to win the IWGP Tag Team Titles
– At New Year Dash 2021, BULLET CLUB (Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa, El Phantasmo & Taiji Ishimori) defeated Suzuki-gun (Zack Sabre Jr, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, El Desperado & Taichi)
– On February 28, 2021, The Guerrillas of Destiny (Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa) defeated CHAOS (Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI) to retain the IWGP Tag Team Titles
– The Guerrillas of Destiny wrestled several dates for Impact in January and February 2022
– At No Surrender 2022, The Guerrillas of Destiny were kicked out of Bullet Club by leader Jay White
– In March 2022, The Guerrillas of Destiny joined the Hontai stable, alongside Hiroshi Tanahashi, Ryusuke Taguchi, Master Wato and Jado
– At Wrestling Dontaku 2022, Tama Tonga defeated EVIL to win the NEVER Openweight Title, but would lose it to Karl Anderson at Dominion just over a month later
– At Wrestle Kingdom 17, Tama Tonga defeated Karl Anderson to regain the NEVER Openweight Title. Interestingly, Anderson was under WWE contract at the time
– At New Year Dash 2023, Tama Tonga, Hikuleo, Hiroshi Tanahashi & Master Wato defeated BULLET CLUB (Jay White, Taiji Ishimori, El Phantasmo & KENTA)
– At The New Beginning in Osaka 2023, Tama Tonga defeated El Phantasmo to retain the NEVER Openweight Title
– At Satsuma No Kuni 2023, Tama Tonga, Master Wato, Hikuleo & Jado defeated BULLET CLUB (Taiji Ishimori, David Finlay, KENTA & Gedo)
– At Destruction in Kobe 2023, The Guerrillas of Destiny (Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa, El Phantasmo, Hikuleo & Jado) defeated BULLET CLUB (David Finlay, Chase Owens, Alex Coughlin, Gabe Kidd & Gedo)
– At Destruction in Ryogoku 2023, Tama Tonga defeated David Finlay to regain the NEVER Openweight Title
– At Royal Quest III, Guerrillas of Destiny (Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa & El Phantasmo) defeated BULLET CLUB War Dogs (David Finlay, Gabe Kidd & Alex Coughlin)
– At Power Struggle 2023, Tama Tonga, Kevin Knight & KUSHIDA defeated Shingo Takagi, Titan & BUSHI
– At Wrestle Kingdom 18, Tama Tonga defeated Shingo Takagi to regain the NEVER Openweight Title. Following the event, he announced his imminent departure from NJPW in order to spend more time with his family in the USA