Tama Tonga Says He Never Got An Offer to Join AEW

Tama Tonga confirmed in a new interview that he was never given an offer to join AEW. Tonga spoke with the All Real Wrestling Podcast and during the interview, he talked about The Elite’s departure from NJPW to form AEW and more. You can see the highlights below, per Wrestling Inc:

Tama Tonga has been a member of Bullet Club since its founding. That includes several years when Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks were also part of the faction in New Japan Pro-Wrestling. Despite his close association with The Elite, Tonga says he was never offered an opportunity to jump to AEW.

On not getting an offer to go to AEW: “I think there were some other guys, not me. I didn’t get any offer. But I think some other guys have gotten it. But not me, and I’m happy where I’m at.”

On the Elite’s departure to help form AEW: “I don’t have any, like, ill will or any kind of, like, animosity towards what they did. I think I always respect the hustle, I respect the work that’s put in and I have a lot of respect for them for what they did and still doing.”

On the different Bullet Club factions having different visions at the time: “I think with any coworkers, people like to do one way, you like to do another way. And sometimes you clash. But you always – you overcome, you move forward. I think that’s anybody.”

On criticizing pseudo-Bullet Club reunion on social media last year: “I think a lot of people confuse what I do on social media as real. You know, my antics, my s**t-talking, my – you know. And that’s what I love about all this social media, this platform, this Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, even podcasts. Because you’re displaying – no matter what you’re on, you’re displaying a character.

“And so sometimes as a fan, you’re like, ‘Alright, is he being a character or is he being real?’ Which one is it? And I think some of my antics have really taken some people, thinking that I’ve got some kind of…thinking some kind of ill will for somebody. And it’s never that. It’s never that. I think I always wish the best for everybody.”