Latest news with #Hikuleo
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Hikuleo Debuts At WWE Night Of Champions, Costs Jacob Fatu The US Title
Solo Sikoa had a lot of backup this afternoon, including the WWE debut of Hikuleo to defeat Jacob Fatu for the United States Championship. The numbers game was against the Samoan Werewolf at Night of Champions when Sikoa enlisted the help of JC Mateo, the returning Tanga Loa, and the debuting Hikuleo to become the new United States Champion for the first time. Advertisement The finish of the match saw Hikuleo get involved when the referee's back was turned. He chokeslammed Jacob Fatu on the commentary table before tossing him into Sikoa, who hit the Samoan Spike to pick up the pinfall victory. It should be noted that Michael Cole and Wade Barrett refused to call him by his New Japan name. So, another potential name change could be on the horizon. What WWE might use is anyone's guess, but they did trademark the name Talla Tonga last year. Stay tuned to WrestleZone for more on Hikuleo's WWE debut as it becomes available. READ MORE: Report: Update On Hikuleo's WWE Status Advertisement What do you make of Hikuleo's WWE debut? Are you disappointed that Jacob Fatu's reign as United States Champion has come to an end? Let us know your overall thoughts by sounding off in the comments section below. The post Hikuleo Debuts At WWE Night Of Champions, Costs Jacob Fatu The US Title appeared first on Wrestlezone.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Former NJPW Champion Stuns WWE Fans With Debut at 'Night of Champions 2025'
Former NJPW Champion Stuns WWE Fans With Debut at 'Night of Champions 2025' originally appeared on Athlon Sports. One key WWE singles championship changed hands on the "Night of Champions 2025" card thanks to the debut of a former NJPW star. Advertisement The PLE is currently taking place inside Kingdom Arena in Riyadh. Fans already witnessed Cody Rhodes defeat Randy Orton to become the King of the Ring. Rhea Ripley defeated Raquel Rodriguez in a street fight, while Sami Zayn outlasted Karrion Kross. While the first three matches at the "Night of Champions" event saw fan favorites pick up wins, it was a different story with the WWE United States Championship match. Jacob Fatu lost the gold to Solo Sikoa thanks to the promotional debut of former NJPW name Hikuleo. Hikuleo had been featured in dark matches before recent airings of "SmackDown." Many speculated that he could eventually align with Sikoa to cost Fatu the WWE United States Championship, and that's exactly what happened. Advertisement The former IWGP Tag Team Champion wasn't the only surprise during the match at "Night of Champions." Tonga Loa made his return from injury. He delivered a spinning neckbreaker to Fatu off a distraction from JC Mateo. Sikoa's faction continues to grow on the blue brand. There is another member of his group who is currently sidelined due to an injury. Tama Tonga was put on the shelf just before "WrestleMania 41," and it's unknown what the timeline looks like for a return. For now, Sikoa is content with Mateo, Loa, and Hikuleo. At this time, it isn't known if Hikuleo will keep his current name or if WWE will give him the rumored Talla Tonga label. Related: WWE Crowns New Champion One Day Before 'Night of Champions 2025' This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 28, 2025, where it first appeared.
Metro
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
WWE fans in awe as 'freakish' star finally debuts after 12-month wait
WWE fans were stunned as a new face made a massive impression at Night of Champions 2025. Former New Japan Pro Wrestling star Hikuleo – who was previously a member of Bullet Club and Guerrillas of Destiny – was reported to have signed with the company back in July 2024. It's been a year since the towering star left NJPW, and 11 months since he was said to have inked his WWE deal. Finally, he reappeared and made his debut during Saturday's Night of Champions event in Saudi Arabia just hours after a historic King of the Ring win for Cody Rhodes. He had a defining role to play in the United States Title match which saw Jacob Fatu putting his gold on the line against Solo Sikoa. Wake up to find news on your TV shows in your inbox every morning with Metro's TV Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your show in the link we'll send you so we can get TV news tailored to you. After Tonga Loa returned from a seven month injury layoff to turn the tide in Sikoa's favour, the former Bloodline enforcer had another trick up his sleeve with Hikuleo appearing to cost Fatu the title. Taking to X after the match, WWE boss Triple H retweeted a photo of Solo celebrating with his allies and wrote: 'By any means necessary…#WWENOC' It's been a long wait, but now he's joined his for GoD teammates – and real life cousin Loa and brother Tama Tonga – on the WWE main roster. Commentators Michael Cole and Wade Barrett avoided saying Hikuleo's name, which suggests a change in moniker is on the horizon for the newcomer, who stands at 6ft 8ins. However, Preston-born Barrett immediately hyped up the big man, branding him an 'absolute freak', while fans watching on Netflix were in awe of his size. 'Huge surprise with Hikuleo helping Solo! Great twist in the title match. #WWENOC,' raved @LaurenMill62673 on X. 'HIKULEO IS HUGE MY GOD,' shouted @ChefOsco, with plenty of fans stunned by his hulking frame. 'Hikuleo is him! Dude is massive af. #WWENOC,' added @ShinTails77. He's a newcomer to WWE fans, having only recently appeared in so-called dark matches, which are off-air bouts for the live crowd. In his first on June 13, he overcame Pretty Deadly's Kit Wilson, while last week he beat Ryan Matthias before SmackDown. Before joining WWE, he made his name in New Japan, where he became Strong Openweight Tag Team Champion on two occasions with El Phantasmo, while the duo also won the IWPT Tag Team Titles. View More » He's also a former Strong Openweight Champion, having wrestled in the United States for TNA and All Elite Wrestling. King of the Ring final : Cody Rhodes pinned Randy Orton : Cody Rhodes pinned Randy Orton Street Fight : Rhea Ripley beat Raquel Rodriguez : Rhea Ripley beat Raquel Rodriguez Sami Zayn pinned Karrion Kross United States Title : Solo Sikoa defeated Jacob Fatu (c) : Solo Sikoa defeated Jacob Fatu (c) Queen of the Ring: Jade Cargill beat Asuka Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: 'It's a hell of a ride!' Your favourite shows like Squid Game MORE: Netflix WWE SmackDown live stream cuts out with millions unable to watch MORE: TV fans torn between bingeing Netflix hit series or 'anxiety-inducing' drama this weekend
Forbes
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
WWE Night Of Champions 2025 Results As Hikuleo Debuts, Solo Sikoa Wins
Jacob Fatu has surpassed Solo Sikoa as the breakout star of The Bloodline. (Credit: Heather ... More McLaughlin/WWE via Getty Images) Solo Sikoa is the new United States Championship after a chaos-filled win over Jacob Fatu at WWE Night of Champions 2025. In a United States Championship match pitting two former members of The Bloodline against one another, it was Fatu who appeared destined to stand tall. Until he didn't. 'The Samoan Werewolf' couldn't overcome a trio of interferences, including the debut of former NJPW star Hikuleo, and lost the United States Championship, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Although WWE Night of Champions had previously been portrayed as a night where all WWE titles were defended, Fatu's US Championship was ironically one of just two championships defended on the show. Perhaps more importantly, however, Fatu vs. Sikoa was the culmination of Fatu's ascension from heel role player to fan favorite megastar. Then, Hikuleo showed up and ruined the party. WWE Night of Champions 2025 Results For Jacob Fatu vs. Solo Sikoa Sikoa's victory over Fatu a at WWE Night of Champions 2025 wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for a pair of shockers. First, Tonga Loa showed up after being out of action for more than half a year. Then, the debuting Hikuleo appeared in Riyadh with a major assist as he became the newest member of Sikoa's version of The Bloodline. At WWE Backlash 2025, Fatu pinned LA Knight in a star-studded Fatal 4-Way match in which the Samoan powerhouse also had to overcome Damian Priest and Drew McIntyre. When combined with his US title victory over Knight at WrestleMania 41 in April, Fatu had racked up an impressive pay-per-view winning streak seemingly set the stage for a lengthy US Championship reign. Instead, Fatu lost to Sikoa in a shocking upset thanks to the numbers game advantage for Sikoa's crew. Among the key highlights of Fatu's successful United States Championship defense were: WWE is clearly strapping the proverbial rocket to Fatu, who has been positioned as arguably SmackDown's fastest-rising stars, especially in the absence of stars like McIntyre and Roman Reigns. With the blue brand boasting a relatively thin midcard, Fatu seemed destined to hold US title for an extended run after his victory at WWE Night of Champions. Fatu's Night of Champions loss, however, was instead a way to keep him looking strong while also ensuring that Sikoa can regain his momentum as a midcard heel. WWE Night of Champions 2025 Results And Reaction To Solo Sikoa Victory Fatu's unsuccessful night at WWE Night of Champions isn't as bad it sounds. Why? Well, a lengthy United States Championship reign may have actually held him back. As noted, SmackDown is currently without Reigns and McIntyre, meaning that the blue brand is sorely lacking in the main event scene. Sikoa's version of The Bloodline is clearly a midcard faction, but the fact that it took four superstars to defeat Fatu shows just how much WWE wants to protect Fatu with its booking. Had Fatu lost cleanly, WWE fans would have a reason to be concerned about his push. Yet, that didn't happen, of course. Hikuleo's debut, Loa's return and Mateo's interference were all necessary for Fatu to lost his WWE United States Championship after just two months. That, however, may be a blessing in disguise that allows Fatu to rise up the ranks on SmackDown even quicker than expected. Fatu's feud with Sikoa is far from over after his loss at WWE Night of Champions 2025, but once he puts The Bloodline in his rearview mirror within a few months, expect him to compete for world titles instead of midcard ones.
Time of India
21-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
WWE sets a US title match between Solo Sikoa and Jacob Fatu for Night of Champions in Saudi Arabia
WWE has added another blockbuster clash in the upcoming big event of Night of Champions in Saudi Arabia, which is slated to start on June 28, 2025. Following an exciting promotion at the recently held SmackDown, WWE has now announced a new title match between Solo Sikoa and Jacob Fatu. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Earlier during the Money in the Bank event, Solo Sikoa's grip on The Bloodline has started to slip. After being betrayed by Jacob Fatu during the match, Sikoa found himself defeated and exposed, leaving the faction with just its core members, Sikoa and JC Mateo. Owing to this situation, WWE introduced a new bloodline faction member– Hikuleo. However, following a tense exchange on Friday's SmackDown, Jacob Fatu will defend his United States Championship against former Bloodline ally Solo Sikoa next Saturday. Jacob Fatu and Solo Sikoa to lock horns at the Night of Champions event in Saudi Arabia On the June 20 edition of SmackDown, Fatu and Solo's rivalry reached its peak. During the promotions, Solo seemingly tried reconciling, but it did not work out. He rather received a backlash from Fatu, who accused him of being jealous from the time he became a champion. This heated argument and confrontation ended in a brawl, with Jimmy Uso caught in the crossfire. In response, WWE formally announced their title match for Night of Champions. Confirming about the upcoming feud between Fatu and Sikoa, WWE wrote: 'United States Champion Jacob Fatu with take on his former ally Solo Sikoa in a highly-personal title showdown at WWE Night of Champions. Although Fatu captured the United States Title, Solo seemed to feel he was superior to The Samoan Werewolf, bringing in JC Mateo without Fatu knowing and belittling the titleholder behind his back." "After Fatu overheard one of these digs, however, he had enough and ultimately cost Sikoa his opportunity to capture the Money in the Bank contract as he screamed, 'I hate you, Solo!' The WWE preview further read: 'After Solo failed in his attempt to bring Fatu back into the fold, he and Mateo launched a two-on-one assault on their former 'brother' on SmackDown, a move that brought Jimmy Uso to the ring to aid the champion and led directly to the Night of Champions title matchup.' Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Apart from this event, matches like the Undisputed WWE Championship between John Cena and CM Punk, WWE Intercontinental Championship between Dominik Mysterio and AJ Styles are also in line. The event will also include the final match of the King of the Ring Tournament and the Queen of the Ring Tournament. Also Read : It is to be noted that WWE Night of Champions will emanate live from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Saturday, June 28, at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT on Peacock in the United States and on Netflix everywhere else.
