Why Tama Tonga Left NJPW: His Personal Explanation

Tama Tonga, a veteran member of the OG Bullet Club and former IWGP tag champion, recently made a difficult decision to leave Japan after wrestling his final match with NJPW on the New Beginning tour on January 24th. Tonga, who began his journey with NJPW in 2010, shared his reasons for this move during an interview with Midnight Wrestle & Kingdom.

In the interview, Tonga opened up about how being away from his family in Japan had taken a toll on him. He expressed his desire to be present in his children’s lives as they grew up, as he had missed out on important moments like birthdays due to his wrestling commitments. Despite his love for Japan, Tonga prioritized his family and wanted to be a more active part of their lives.

One of Tonga’s memorable moments in NJPW was his victory over Shingo Takagi at WrestleKingdom 18 earlier this month. This win added to his already impressive resume in the wrestling world. Notably, back in 2016, Tonga was on the brink of signing with WWE but opted to stay with NJPW after receiving a significant offer increase from the promotion.

Tonga’s decision to leave Japan marks a new chapter in his career as he seeks to strike a better balance between his professional and personal life. With his wealth of experience and talent, fans are eager to see where his journey takes him next.

(Transcribed by Post Wrestling)