WWE issued Tama Tonga a five-figure fine for posting a video on social media that showed the arena, stage, and ring during rehearsals ahead of the March 20 episode of Friday Night SmackDown, according to FightfulSelect.com.
Tonga posted a 360-degree shot of the venue ahead of SmackDown, and while little of note could be seen in the video, WWE determined that filming during rehearsals violated an unwritten company rule and responded with a fine reported to be in the five-figure range, meaning anywhere between $10,000 and $99,999.
The fine drew criticism on social media, with many pointing to the apparent contradiction of WWE punishing a talent for showing behind-the-scenes footage while the company simultaneously airs WWE Unreal on Netflix, a docuseries that has now completed two seasons pulling back the curtain on WWE’s inner workings in significant detail. The criticism centered on the inconsistency of the message being sent to talent.
The incident is not the first time Tonga’s social media activity has created problems in 2026. Earlier this year, he accidentally spoiled a surprise Royal Rumble entrant when he posted a clip of himself at a shisha bar that inadvertently showed a face-paintless Mr. Iguana sitting in the background, tipping off fans to the appearance before it could be kept under wraps.
Tonga wrestled on the March 20 SmackDown, the same episode ahead of which the video was posted. He and Jeff Cobb lost the WWE Tag Team Championships to Damian Priest and R-Truth on that show, ending their reign as champions.
