This could be potential good news for New Japan…it is being reported on various US news/rumor websites that more WWE releases came today and two former New Japan wrestlers are among them-JC Mateo fka Jeff Cobb and Tonga Loa aka Tanga Loa. It’s not yet clear why they are gone but this is possibly by mutual decision. Both left New Japan in 2024 following fellow NJPW departure Tama Tonga (Loa’s real-life brother, they are both sons of Hall of Famer Haku and members of the Tongan/Samoan wrestling dynasties) to WWE and both were briefly in storylines involving top WWE wrestler Roman Reigns. Loa also missed the first half of 2025 due to injury. Mateo/Cobb was there for barely a year, debuting last July and took part in a WWE Tag Team Championship match just last month on the SmackDown TV program but did little else.
I can see both going back to Japan even though they are in their 40s if All Elite Wrestling or TNA Wrestling doesn’t try to pick them up. It’s probably too late for them to make surprise appearances at WRESTLING DONTAKU 2026 though.
More as it becomes available.