Sam Fatu
| Samuel Fatu[1] | |
|---|---|
| Ring name(s) | The Tonga Kid Tama Tama Samoa Samoan Savage[1] |
| Billed height | 6'[1] |
| Billed weight | 300 pounds (140 kg)[1] |
| Born | October 10, 1966 [2] California[1] |
| Resides | Sacramento, California |
| Trained by | Afa Anoa'i and Sika Anoa'i[1][3][4] |
| Debut | 1983[1] |
Samuel Larry Anoa'i Fatu[1][4] is a professional wrestler best known under the name of The Tonga Kid, or Tama.
Contents |
[edit] Professional wrestling career
During his career Fatu has wrestled for the World Wrestling Federation, American Wrestling Association, World Class Championship Wrestling and World Championship Wrestling.[5] Fatu debuted as a professional wrestler in 1983,[1] after being trained by the Wild Samoans.[3] He entered into a feud with Roddy Piper in the World Wrestling Federation.[5] In late 1986, he teamed with Tonga Fifita.[1] In February, they turned into villains, and Fatu was renamed to Tama, while Fifita was renamed to Haku. Together, they were christened The Islanders.[1][5] They were managed by Bobby Heenan.[1]
In October, they began a feud with Strike Force, the WWF Tag Team Champions, but were unable to win the titles, despite having several attempts.[1] In early December 1987, the Islanders were disqualified from a match with the British Bulldogs when they kidnapped the Bulldogs' dog, Matilda.[1] The Islanders were indefinitely suspended in the storyline until Matilda was found.[1] From late January 1988 until early February, the Islanders were consistently beaten by the British Bulldogs.[1]
At a Saturday Night's Main Event on March 7, they beat the Killer Bees, a tag team consisting of Brian Blair and Jim Brunzell. At Wrestlemania 4, the Islanders, with Bobby Heenan, defeated the Bulldogs and Koko B. Ware, with Matilda.[1] On April 21, Heenan introduced Siva Afi as the newest member of the group, but Afi never made another appearance with the Islanders. Fatu then left the WWF. Fatu joined the National Wrestling Alliance, as a part of the Samoan Swat Team, wrestling as Samoan Savage.[citation needed]
During his career, he was the youngest man ever to headline a wrestling show at Madison Square Garden.[5] He remained active until 1992. Fatu went on to work with Solofa Fatu in his promotion Nu-Wrestling Evolution.[citation needed] Fatu appeared as "Tonga Tom" in the 1987 movie Body Slam, along with Dirk Benedict and Roddy Piper.[3][6][7] In 2007, Fatu once again wrestled as "The Tonga Kid", working with BAW Championship Wrestling, in a match with D-Lo Brown.[1]
[edit] Personal life
His brothers are Eddie Fatu, who wrestled as Umaga, and Solofa Fatu, who wrestled as Rikishi. On December 4, 2009, Eddie died in Houston due to two massive heart attacks at the age of 36[5][8] His mother Elevera died on April 25, 2008,[9] after a lengthy fight with cancer.[10]
In November 2008, Fatu's wife, Theresa Fuavai-Fatu,[11] went into cardiac arrest while giving birth. Her heart stopped completely before the twins, Marley and Myracle, could be delivered by Caesarean section, but she spontaneously revived and eventually recovered.[11][12] This type of incident is very rare, with one of the cardiac surgeons who was working on Theresa saying that he has never seen surviving mothers or babies.[11] He also has three sons.[11]
[edit] In wrestling
[edit] Championships and accomplishments
- Universal Wrestling Association
- UWA World Trios Championship (1 time) - with Solofa Fatu and Rodney Anoa'i[4]
- World Wrestling Federation
- Slammy Award for Bobby "The Brain" Heenan Scholarship Award (1987) with Haku, André The Giant, Hercules, King Kong Bundy, and Harley Race
[edit] Notes
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r "Wrestler Profiles: Tama". http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/t/tama.html. Retrieved 2009-10-13.
- ^ {cite web|url=http://www.profightdb.com/wrestlers/the-tonga-kid-89.html%7Ctitle=Tonga Kid|accessdate=09/16/2011|Internet Wrestling Database}
- ^ a b c "The Wild Samoans". WWE. http://www.wwe.com/superstars/halloffame/wildsamoans/bio/. Retrieved 2009-10-13.[dead link]
- ^ a b c d "Tonga Kid". http://www.bodyslamming.com/other/tongakid.html. Retrieved 2009-10-13.
- ^ a b c d e "Shoot with Tonga Kid". RF Video. http://www.rfvideo.com/browseproducts/Shoot-with-Tonga-Kid.html. Retrieved 2009-10-13.
- ^ Kapur, Bob (May 18, 2006). "Body Slam a blast for Benedict". SLAM! Wrestling. http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/Movies/2006/03/06/1475465.html. Retrieved 2008-08-30.
- ^ "Tonga Kid Main". http://www.moviefone.com/celebrity/tonga-kid/1835178/main. Retrieved 2009-04-14.
- ^ "Sam Fatu". Biography Research Guide. http://www.123exp-biographies.com/t/00031058208/. Retrieved 2009-10-14.
- ^ "Elevera Anoa'i Fatu passes away". WWE. 2008-10-27. http://www.wwe.com/inside/industrynews/6975114. Retrieved 2009-10-13.
- ^ Colin Vassallo. "Mother of Umaga, Rikishi and Tonga Kid passes away". Wrestling-Online. http://www.wrestling-online.com/news/general/Mother_of_Umaga_Rikishi_and_Tonga_Kid_passes_away.shtml. Retrieved 2009-04-10.
- ^ a b c d Carrie Peyton Dahlberg. "Twins delivered by emergency C-section as CPR revives mom". Modesto Bee. http://www.modbee.com/breakingnews/v-print/story/543206.html. Retrieved 2009-10-13.[dead link]
- ^ "Pregnant Mom's Heart Stops; Gives Birth, Comes To". http://cbs13.com/health/baby.mother.delivery.2.894581.html. Retrieved 2008-12-25.
- ^ Matt Mackinder (January 17, 2008). "Sir Oliver Humperdink recalls career of yesteryear". SLAM! Wrestling. http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/2007/05/12/4175841.html. Retrieved 2008-04-04.
