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An empty movie theatre sits still, and desolate. As we walk into the theatre, strands of popcorn on the floor we walk into theatre number 7. All the seats are empty, but two. We approach them from behind. Sat there with their popcorn and their drinks in the holders they have beside them. As we look from behind them, the curtain parts and a movie theatre screen lights up.Text appears which reads… “As the Guerrillas of Destiny approach their first title opportunity in EBWF, we take a look back at their past and how they got here.”
Home video footage of an 8 year old Tama Tonga and a 7 year old Tanga Loa is shown on the screen. Wrestling with each other in the backyard, they are pretending to hit each other with each one selling the respective punch well.
Tanga Loa (voiceover): It all started in 1991. My mom and dad brought you back from Tonga, we had met before but this was the first time you were coming to live with us, here in the house. It was cool, bro, honestly, I’d never had a brother before and you coming to live with us, was something I really needed to help me find myself, help me be the best person I could be.
Tama Tonga (voiceover): I owe your parents, our parents my life, Haku was and is a great role model, growing up, it was the coolest thing, seeing him on TV, knowing that when he came home he’d have all this cool stuff that we could share together. All the old WWF merchandise that he’d bring back, we really bonded over our love for what our father did.
The film on the screen changed with a smooth transition to the two of them, at high school age, Tanga Loa, visibly taller than his brother even though he was also visibly younger, they stood at the front of the high school.
Tanga Loa (VO): Your last day of high school. I still had another year left but you were done from this day forward. School wasn’t your strong suit was it? You were more aggressive, against the grain, looking for that edge, something to fight for, some cause to get behind.
Tama Tonga (VO): Yeah, I suppose you’re right, I’m very much like dad in that sense. I think with my fists whereas you think with your mind, I was always pretty practical in the way of I’d like to do things manually, get the job done myself, but you were smart, you were creative and tactical. I think that helped a lot when it came to you and your football journey.
The screen changed again to Tanga Loa in a University of Texas Football Jersey. Smiling at the camera.
Tanga Loa (VO): My first ever game, for UTEP. Great day, warm, I was always really pissed you couldn’t be there for it, really did suck, but you were out of the country and there wasn’t much I could do about that.
Tama Tonga (VO): Bro come on, dad was there, I was there in spirit, you won the game too so, I mean I’d probably give you bad luck if I was there.
The next picture that showed on the screen was Tanga Loa in his graduation outfit. Holding his degree.
Tama Tonga (VO): Graduation Day, I was there for that.
Tanga Loa (VO): Yeah, you took the picture, with mom and dad in the background.
Tama Tonga (VO): I can’t even remember your major.
Tanga Loa (VO): Degree in Liberal Arts, with a Major in Communications Electronic Media and a Minor in Criminal Justice.
The next picture is of Tama Tonga in the Air Force.
Tama Tonga (VO): That’s Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, I was there six years, I was a B-2 Spirit Mechanic. It was designed during the Cold War, fucking awesome plane, makes a hell of a noise. This picture was taken two days before our infamous phone call in early 2004.
Tanga Loa (VO): That’s right. That phone call, you called me up and told me that as much as you loved the Air Force, it just wasn’t you, and I was boring myself with studies, I felt like I’d be studying for the rest of my life, we needed a bit of adventure and a bit of fun.
Tama Tonga (VO): Yeah bro, you were coming to Missouri to watch dad fight at Harley Race’s WLW down there, and I met you at the place and we watched him win the World Heavyweight Championship for the third time, when I got back to base, it was on my mind, how much love he got whilst he was out there, performing, doing what he loved, it brought back memories from when we were wrestling in the backyard together, just having fun, y’know. That’s when I called you, told you, this is what we have to do, we gotta wrestle, there is nothing else for us.
Tanga Loa (VO): … And I agreed,
On the screen now showing a photo of Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa with Bubba Ray and D-Von Dudley.
Tanga Loa (VO): Oh this was a good day, once we had told dad that we wanted to do wrestling he started to train us, and he got Ricky involved too, Ricky Santana, but dad got in touch with Team 3D to use their ring, because obviously dad didn’t have one, but Team 3D were using it a lot because they had their own wrestling school.
Tama Tonga (VO): Yeah, so after a couple of months of using the ring at the weirdest times, we decided to just join the school and train more regularly.
Tanga Loa (VO): Which we did, we worked our asses off, day and night, travelling around the country for pennies and dimes and blood, sweat and tears to show for it, but I wouldn’t change it for the world.
Tama Tonga (VO): Me either, then the infamous WWE tryout came along. Oh man, what an experience that was. We killed it, to be honest, it was great, we both worked our asses off in that match but when all was said and done, we can’t win everything.
A photo showing Tanga Loa at FCW appeared on screen.
Tanga Loa (VO): Yeah, man, that sucked, because we had it in our minds we were going to be a tag team for the longest time, we had been inseparable really for so long and especially after you left the Air Force we really came together and built this super strong bond, a foundation of a friendship that brothers don’t always get, y’know, so when I was offered that developmental contract and you weren’t that was really a kick in the teeth for me. I didn’t know if I could do it without you by my side.
Tama Tonga (VO): But alas, little bro, you did, just unfortunately WWE wasn’t the best suit for you, after they got you to team up with Hunicio, I think that’s where it kinda went tits up for you, y’know. Then you jumped ship to TNA, and you were just there at the wrong time bro, in my honest opinion.
Tanga Loa (VO): Nah don’t get me wrong, working for those companies was real, it was fun, a completely different experience and a super big learning curve for me, especially in how to tell a story rather than just sell some moves and roll out the ring, y’know. All the while you were over in Japan, making waves.
A photo of Tama Tonga in New Japan with Bad Luck Fale, Karl Anderson and Finn Bálor standing over Hiroshi Tanahashi
Tama Tonga (VO): It wasn’t always sunshine and rainbows though, dad told me to head out to Japan to train, while you were in the WWE so, I did, they liked how I worked and they started putting me in filler teams, I was never really finding a connection, then Japan sends some wrestlers to Mexico to work down there, for a while, whilst there, I get partnered with this dope ass El Terrible, it was sweet because it was me playing a heel and you know how much I enjoy being an annoying prick. We end up winning the tag championships and it was amazing, we defended the gold and it was such a sick time and when I came back to Japan, after losing the belts, I met up with Finn, he was going in strong and I loved his style, his charisma was exciting and I was stoked, and he told me to come out to the ring with him, and that was the start of the Bullet Club.
Tanga Loa (VO): The Bullet Club, one of the most formidable stables probably ever, they are up there, but you’re one of the founding members, that must be pretty sweet,
Tama Tonga (VO): It’s an honour don’t get me wrong, but my role in The Bulley Club was all over the place, our job in Japan was to takeover but I felt my role was limited, especially when Doc Gallows came into the mix, because there was no real opportunity for me to shine, I was never getting there in singles competition and I have no idea why, but Doc and Karl were winning the tag team championships and I felt kinda helpless. That’s why when I called you up to bring you along, I was stoked when you took up the chance.
A picture of The Guerrillas of Destiny was shown on screen.
Tanga Loa (VO): Yeah, I found the thought of going to Japan unnerving, new language, new fans, but once you get there you see it’s not based on words, you’re not relying on your talk but on your actions, and we have that chemistry so when I came in, we just got straight to work
Tama Tonga (VO): Now we hold the record for most Tag Team Championships in Japan and that is historical. This week on Warfare, we have a chance to take the title from Rated RKO, a team which has dominated the EBWF for years, just like we did in Japan, but like all good things, they must come to an end.
The curtains drawn on the screen and a spotlight shone down on The Guerrillas of Destiny. They stood up and the cameras moved up, they turned around, as they turned around, you can see their faces painted in their famous war paint.
Tanga Loa: Randy, Edge, This message is for you, we understand you’re best friends, we understand that you two have this unmistakable bond, we know you two have known each other for years, and we feel the connection, just like every fan around the world does when they see you two in the ring together.
Tama Tonga: unfortunately for Rated RKO, The Guerrillas of Destiny are here to show the world what real connection looks like, blood is thicker than water boys, Tanga Loa and myself come from a line of families which are synonymous for their take on family life and working together. Our union between the two of us is more than just friends, we share parents, we are brothers. We know every move the other is going to make, we are infused, we are in each others minds.
Tanga Loa: We started this career because of Edge, the tag team thing was because every week he inspired us, day in and day out. We took that, we ran with it and boy did we win the fucking marathon,
Tama Tonga: Our determination to continue our legacy as one of the greatest tag teams in history starts at Warfare, we are the record holders for the most tag team championships in Japan, and on Warfare, we will beat record holders Rated RKO and we will add the EBWF Tag Team Championships to our ever expanding collections.
Tanga Loa: See you next week.
With that, the video ends.
