| Wild Samoans | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Tag team | |
| Members | Afa Sika |
| Name(s) | The Samoans The Samoan Warriors The Wild Samoans The Islanders |
| Billed heights | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) each |
| Combined billed weight | 645 lb (293 kg)[1] |
| Billed from | "The Isle of Samoa" |
| Debut | 1973 |
| Disbanded | 1997 |
| Trained by | Peter Maivia[1] |
TheWild Samoans were theprofessional wrestlingtag team ofAfa Anoaʻi andSika Anoaʻi in theNational Wrestling Alliance (NWA) and theWorld Wrestling Federation (WWF). They held 20 tag team championships around the world.
The Wild Samoans rarely spoke in interviews, instead grunting in a primitive dialect that only their managerCapt. Lou Albano could understand. They had afros andFu Manchu moustaches.[2] Completing their "wild man" image, the duo engaged in outrageous behavior such as nose picking, biting opponents, and eating raw fish during interviews.[2][3]
They are members of theAnoaʻi family. Their father Amituana'i Anoaʻi was ablood brother to their trainerPeter Maivia.
The team began its career inStu Hart'sCalgary, Alberta,Canada basedStampede Wrestling in 1973, where they won theStampede International Tag Team Championship on two occasions.[1] Then they went toVancouver and won the tag titles there. In 1975 they made their debut in the United States forBig Time Wrestling in Detroit. They spent the majority of the 1970s in variousNational Wrestling Alliance (NWA) territories.[1]
From 1977 to 1979, the Samoans made repeated tours of Japan withInternational Wrestling Enterprise. In January 1978, they briefly held theIWA World Tag Team Championship.[4]
In 1979, the Wild Samoans joined the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). They were initially billed as simply "The Samoans" before reverting to their better-known name. Occasionally, they were introduced as "Lou Albano's Wild Men" during TV tapings. They made theirMadison Square Garden debut on January 21, 1980, in aWWF Tag Team Championship match againstTito Santana andIvan Putski, who retained their title.[1] In the upcoming months, both men became contenders forBob Backlund'sWWF Championship, but neither man won the gold.[1] They won their first championship in the WWF, the tag team championship, by defeating Santana and Putski on April 12, 1980.[1] They reigned as champions for approximately five months, untildropping the title to Backlund andPedro Morales in atwo out of three falls match atShowdown at Shea.[1] Because Backlund was already the reigning WWF Champion, the team had to forfeit the title, and a tournament was held to crown new tag champions.[1] On September 8, 1980, the Wild Samoans defeatedTony Garea andRene Goulet in the tournament finals to win the title.[1] Their reign lasted for one month, until they lost to Garea and his new partner,Rick Martel.[1] The Wild Samoansfeuded with the champions for the rest of the year, but they were not able to recapture the gold.[1]
In late 1981, changing their name back to the Samoans they joinedMid-South Wrestling. With"Big Cat" Ernie Ladd as theirfinancial adviser and manager, and then changing their team name from The Samoans to The Samoan Warriors, they won theMid-South Tag Team Championship andfeuded withJunkyard Dog andDick Murdoch.[1] After also attacking Ladd, the two began a feud with their former adviser.[1] In response, Ladd sold their contract toSkandor Akbar and formed a team with"Iron" Mike Sharpe, with whom he forced the Wild Samoans to leave Mid-South.[1]
After leaving Mid-South, the duo appeared inGeorgia Championship Wrestling. As part of the territory, they defeated theFabulous Freebirds for theNWA National Tag Team Championship, which they later vacated.[2]
The Wild Samoans eventually ended up back in the World Wrestling Federation with their former managerCapt. Lou Albano in 1982. This time they grew full beards that were scruffy and bushy looking.[2] Afa and Sika began their thirdWWF Tag Team Championship reign on March 8, 1983, by defeatingChief Jay andJules Strongbow.[5] In a rematch on March 19, they were also victorious.[2] Also during this time, while feuding withRocky Johnson,Jimmy Snuka, andAndré the Giant, the duo added Afa's sonSamula to their team,[2] first as a replacement for Sika when he got hurt, then as their backup upon his return.
They lost their tag team title to the team ofRocky Johnson andTony Atlas on November 15.[2][5][6]
During the match, Albano tried to interfere on the Samoans' behalf by attempting to hit Atlas over the head with a chair.[2] He accidentally hit Afa instead and Atlas covered him for the win.[2] The North-South Connection, Adrian Adonis and Dick Murdoch, would later defeat Atlas and Johnson for the tag title on April 17, 1984. The Samoans turned face and challenged them in a lengthy feud. After failing to regain the belts, the duo eventually left the WWF in 1985 and reappeared in Pro Wrestling USA (NWA/AWA) where they had a dream match vs the Road Warriors. The bout ended in a Double DQ .[2]
Sika reappeared for a lengthy run in the WWF from 1986 to 1988, now managed byMr. Fuji, performing both in singles competition and as a tag team (partnered withKamala). Kamala and Sika's biggest match as a tag team was a loss to theCan-Am Connection onSuperstars of Wrestling. Sika also participated in the invitational battle royal that openedWrestlemania IV. He was the second one eliminated.
Afa returned to WWF in 1992 and went on to manage his son,Samu and his nephewFatu asThe Headshrinkers. He left the WWF in 1995.
After WWF and AWA they went to wrestle in theindependent circuit from 1986 to 1991. In 1987 they made a few appearances inNational Wrestling Federation.
On September 10, 1988, they lost toJimmy Valiant andRufus R. Jones by disqualification at the 15thWWC Aniversario in 1988 in Puerto Rico. In 1991, they split up and both men went their separate ways. Sika would retire from wrestling and trained wrestlers at the Wild Samoans Training Center. Afa managedThe Headshrinkers in the WWF from 1992 to 1995. After WWF, Afa continued to train other wrestlers. In 1996 Afa, foundedWorld Xtreme Wrestling based inAllentown, Pennsylvania.[7]
On August 15, 1997, both men reunited for one night teaming withDisco Inferno,Gene Ligon and the Big Cheese as they defeatedKen Timbs, George Love, Jay Love, Gary Royal and Kane Adams at IWA Night of the Legends in Kannapolis, North Carolina.[8]
During the late 1970s, Afa Anoaʻi opened the Wild Samoans Training Center, and the school's graduates includePaul Orndorff,Junkyard Dog,Luna Vachon,Michael P.S. Hayes,Yokozuna,Bam Bam Bigelow,Rikishi,Sherri Martel,Virgil,Billy Kidman,Gene Snitsky,Chris Kanyon andBatista.[2] They also promoted live wrestling shows under theWXW banner.[2][7]
In 2007, on the eve ofWrestleMania 23, the Wild Samoans were inducted into theWWE Hall of Fame. They were inducted by their sonsSamula andMatt Anoaʻi.
In 2013 and 2014 Afa came out of retirement to wrestle for his promotionWorld Xtreme Wrestling at age 71.
The pair appeared at the 2020Hell in a Cell to celebrateRoman Reigns' victory overJey Uso, Sika giving him the Ula Fala.
On June 25, 2024, Sika died at the age of 79, and then, on August 16, 2024, Afa died at the age of 81.
General
Specific
8/15 Kannapolis, NC (IWA - 600): Assassin b Kevin Kirby, Samoan Gangstas b Metal Maniac & Hunter Thompson, Doink the Clown (Ray Apollo) b Dan Grundy, Billy Kidman b Flamingo Kid, Malia Hosaka b Leilani Kai, Manny Fernandez & Vic Steamboat b Frank Parker & Roger Anderson, Road Warriors b Vladimir Koloff & Nikolai Volkoff, Afa & Sika & Big Cheese & Disco Inferno & Gene Ligon b Jay & Georgia Luv & Gary Royal & Ken Timbs & Kane Atoms, Rick Steamboat ref:Jimmy Snuka b Masked Superstar-DQ
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