Below are a couple of top WWE news stories of the day, involving Triple H, Vince McMahon and Sheamus.
• In a surprising turn of events on last week’s SmackDown, NJPW Veteran Tama Tonga (Haku’s son) made his highly anticipated WWE debut, aligning himself with Solo Sikoa in what appears to be the inception of a new faction. This group seems poised to challenge the established Bloodline, led by Roman Reigns and including Jimmy Uso, setting the stage for a potential clash in the near future.
What’s particularly noteworthy about Tonga’s debut is that he was allowed to retain his ring name, a departure from WWE’s usual practice of renaming talents to align with trademark and merchandising strategies.
Under Vince McMahon’s leadership, newcomers from other promotions typically underwent name changes, with only rare exceptions, such as Ronda Rousey, being permitted to keep their real names. Keeping a wrestler’s established gimmick name, as in Tonga’s case, was even more unusual.
In a related development, Fightful Select has reported that Giulia, another highly anticipated addition to the WWE roster, is also expected to retain her name.
This decision signals a potential shift in WWE’s approach to incorporating talent from other promotions, allowing them to maintain their established identities as they transition to the WWE landscape.
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• Former WWE Champion Sheamus (age 46) returned on this week’s RAW and defeated Ivar. This was his first match since his loss to Edge on SmackDown in August 2023.
Sheamus was out of action with a shoulder injury and was also dealing with neck issues, since he has spinal stenosis.
The Celtic Warrior almost retired two months ago due to the pain he was in.
Here’s what he posted on Social Media:
“The road back to the ring is slow, rough, and unimaginably painful. 2 months ago, I thought I was hanging up my boots for good, but a lot of doctors, trainers, and physios helped get me cleared to do what I love.. fight. #ThisIsWhatWeDo.”
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