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Sam Fatu

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Not to be confused with Tama Tonga.
Sam Fatu[1]
Birth nameSamuel Larry Anoaʻi Fatu
Born (1965-10-11) October 11, 1965 (age 59) [2]
California[1]
FamilyAnoaʻi
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)The Tonga Kid
Tama
Tama Samoa
Samoan Savage[1]
Billed height6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)[3]
Billed weight350 lb (160 kg)[4]
Trained byAfa Anoaʻi
Sika Anoaʻi[1][5][6]
Debut1983[1]
Retired2011

Samuel Larry Anoaʻi Fatu[1][6] (born October 11, 1965) is a professional wrestler best known under the name of The Tonga Kid or Tama.

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.[7] Fatu debuted as a professional wrestler in 1983,[1] after being trained by the Wild Samoans.[5] In 1984, he debuted in the WWF as The Tonga Kid. Billed as the cousin of Superfly Jimmy Snuka, he entered into a feud with Snuka's rival Roddy Piper. In late 1986, he teamed with Tonga Fifita, who was wrestling under the name King Tonga.[1] Fatu was renamed to Tama, while Fifita was renamed to Haku. Together, they were christened The Islanders.[1][7] After a long time of failing to gain the interest of fans, they became villains in April 1987 after attacking The Can-Am Connection during a match. They were now 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.[7] He remained active until 1992. Fatu went on to work with brother Solofa Fatu in his promotion Nu-Wrestling Evolution.[citation needed]

Fatu appeared as the Tonga Kid in the opening scene of the 1986 film Highlander, where he was involved in a six-man tag team match with Greg Gagne and Jim Brunzell against The Fabulous Freebirds at Madison Square Garden.[8] He also starred as "Tonga Tom" in the 1987 wrestling film Body Slam, along with Dirk Benedict and Roddy Piper.[5][9][10]

In 2007, Fatu once again wrestled as "The Tonga Kid", working with BAW Championship Wrestling, in a match with D'Lo Brown.[1]

Fatu is presumed to be retired, as his last match on record occurred on August 19, 2011, against Johnny Plinko.[4]

Personal life

See also: Anoaʻi family

Fatu is a member of the famous Anoaʻi family. He is the twin brother of Solofa Fatu Jr. (Headshrinker Fatu/Rikishi), and both brothers have fathered twins. He is the father of twins Marley and Myracle, and Solofa is the father of twins Jonathan and Joshua Samuel, who currently wrestle in WWE as Jimmy Uso and Jey Uso.[11][12][13] Sam is the older brother of the late Eddie Fatu (Umaga/Jamal). He is the nephew of Sika Anoaʻi and Afa Anoaʻi, known as the Wild Samoans, and his cousins in wrestling are the late Rodney Anoaʻi (Yokozuna), Samula Anoaʻi (Headshrinker Samu), Matt Anoaʻi (Rosey), Leati Anoaʻi (Roman Reigns), Reno Anoaʻi (Black Pearl), Afa Anoaʻi, Jr. (Manu), Lloyd Anoaʻi (L.A. Smooth) and Dwayne Johnson (The Rock).

On April 27, 2008, Fatu's mother Vera died after a seven-year battle with cancer.[14]

In November 2008, Fatu's wife, Theresa Fuavai-Fatu,[15] 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 was spontaneously revived and eventually recovered.[15][16] 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.[15] He also has three sons.[15]

Fatu's brother Eddie "Umaga" Fatu died of a heart attack on December 4, 2009.[17][18]

In wrestling

Championships and accomplishments

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p "Wrestler Profiles: Tama". Retrieved 2009-10-13.
  2. ^ "Tonga Kid". Internet Wrestling Database. Retrieved 2011-09-16.
  3. ^ name="Cagematch">"Cagematch Bio". Cagematch. Archived from the original on 2015. Retrieved 2008-11-03. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |archivedate= (help)
  4. ^ a b "Tonga Kid's Match History". Retrieved 2015-04-15.
  5. ^ a b c "The Wild Samoans". WWE. Retrieved 2009-10-13.
  6. ^ a b c d "Tonga Kid". Retrieved 2009-10-13.
  7. ^ a b c "Shoot with Tonga Kid". RF Video. Retrieved 2009-10-13.
  8. ^ Defino, Lennie. "Where Are They Now?: Buddy Roberts". WWE. Retrieved 2013-02-02.
  9. ^ Kapur, Bob (May 18, 2006). "Body Slam a blast for Benedict". SLAM! Wrestling. Retrieved 2008-08-30.
  10. ^ "Tonga Kid Main". Retrieved 2009-04-14.
  11. ^ California births
  12. ^ California births
  13. ^ California births
  14. ^ "Elevera Anoaʻi Fatu passes away". WrestlingFigs.com via wwe.com. 2008-04-27. Retrieved 2008-04-28.
  15. ^ a b c d Carrie Peyton Dahlberg. "Twins delivered by emergency C-section as CPR revives mom". Modesto Bee. Retrieved 2009-10-13. [dead link‍]
  16. ^ "Pregnant Mom's Heart Stops; Gives Birth, Comes To". Retrieved 2008-12-25.
  17. ^ "Umaga passes". WWE. 2009-12-04. Retrieved 2009-12-04.
  18. ^ "Umaga's cause of death revealed". NoDQ.com. 2010-03-01. Retrieved 2010-03-01.
  19. ^ Matt Mackinder (January 17, 2008). "Sir Oliver Humperdink recalls career of yesteryear". SLAM! Wrestling. Retrieved 2008-04-04.
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