Roman Reigns' attacks on Tama Tonga call back to 2018 Twitter exchanges

The biggest story in the wrestling world right now is the return of Roman Reigns and the impact it’s having on the main event scene — particularly on Solo Sikoa’s role as the pseudo-Tribal Chief. As tensions rise within the New Bloodline, one intriguing detail has surfaced amid the chaos: a callback to a long-standing online feud between Reigns and New Bloodline member Tama Tonga, which fans have recently begun to notice.

In 2017 and 2018, Reigns found himself in a heated Twitter exchange with Tonga, then a member of New Japan Pro Wrestling and a prominent member of the Bullet Club and Guerillas of Destiny. During this time, Reigns was not the most popular figure among fans, who frequently booed him and criticized his dominant booking. Meanwhile, Bullet Club was at the height of its popularity, embroiled in a civil war as Cody Rhodes and Kenny Omega vied for leadership, with Tama aligning himself with the "Bullet Club OG" faction.

Despite the internal strife within the faction he helped found, Tama Tonga made time to engage in a public feud with Reigns on Twitter, trading barbs and insults. Tama went so far as to call Reigns a “rat" and "snitch,” while Reigns fired back, sarcastically thanking Tama for the increased exposure his comments brought and the laughs they gave him.

Tama even threw some not-so-subtle shots at Reigns during his entrances by mimicking the first-pump taunt Reigns used before hitting his Superman Punch.

He did this multiple times.

Fast forward to August 2024 and Reigns seemed to have those old tweets and taunts in mind when he finally got a chance to face Tama Tonga in the ring. On the Aug. 9 and Aug. 16 episodes of SmackDown, Reigns delivered a satisfying assault on Tonga, hitting a vicious clothesline and punishing blows with the steel steps, specifically going harder on him than any other member.

While it’s unlikely that Reigns and Tama still harbor real animosity, their interactions on SmackDown provided a satisfying payoff for fans who have followed their feud since 2018. The chance to settle their differences in the ring, even briefly, added a fun twist to a long-dormant online rivalry that has suddenly made its way to primetime television.

With Reigns back and embroiled in a feud with the New Bloodline, there’s a serious possibility for a singles match between Reigns and Tama Tonga — a match that fans and Tonga himself have wanted for over six years. Wrestling has a funny way of coming back around, doesn't it?