Wild Samoans

Last updated: August 20, 2024

Samoans

Title History

  • NWA Florida Tag Team titles defeating Eddie and Mike Graham (June 1, 1973);
  • NWA (Vancouver) Canadian Tag Team titles defeating The Brute and Gene Kiniski (November 5, 1973);
  • NWA (Detriot) Tag Team titles defeating Hank James and Mighty Igor (1975);
  • NWA (Detriot) Tag Team titles defeating Hank James and Fred Curry (1975);
  • NWA (Gulf Coast) Tag Team titles defeating Bobby and Ricky Fields (March 4, 1977)
  • AWA Southern Tag Team titles (October 1977);
  • IWA World Tag Team titles defeating Animal Hamaguchi and Great Kusatsu (January 5, 1978);
  • Stampede International Tag Team titles defeating Carlos Colon and Gino Caruso;
  • Stampede International Tag Team titles defeating Benny Ramirez and Gil Hayes;
  • NWA (Mid America) Southern Tag Team titles defeated Pat Barrett and Norvell Austin;
  • WWF Tag Team titles defeating Ivan Putski and Tito Santana (April 12, 1980);
  • WWF Tag Team titles defeating Tony Garea and Rene Goulet in a tournament (September 9,1980);
  • Mid-South Tag Team titles defeating Junkyard Dog and Dick Murdoch (June 1981);
  • Mid-South Tag Team titles defeating Junkyard Dog and Dick Murdoch (1981);
  • Mid-South Tag Team titles defeating Junkyard Dog and Dick Murdoch (January 1982);
  • NWA National Tag Team titles defeated The Fabulous Freebirds (August 29, 1982);
  • WWF Tag Team titles defeating Chief Jay and Jules Strongbow (March 8, 1983);
  • NWA (Mid America) United States Tag Team titles defeating Phil Hickerson and Dennis Condrey (January 1976);

Career Highlights

In The Beginning:

  • Early 1970s: Afa Anoai began his wrestling career after receiving training from Peter Maivia and Rocky Johnson.
  • Afa later brought in his younger brother Sika, and trained him. Eventually they formed a tag team known as The Samoans.
  • Afa and Sika wrestled for Stu Hart’s Stampede Wrestling promotion, where they also trained in the famous Stu Hart Dungeon.
  • 1973: Afa and Sika won the Stampede International Tag Team titles on two separate occasions.
  • June 1, 1973 – NWA Florida: Afa and Sika defeated Eddie and Mike Graham to win the NWA Florida Tag Team titles.
  • November 5, 1973 – NWA Canada: Afa and Sika defeated Gene Kiniski and The Brute to win the Tag Team titles.
  • 1975 – NWA Detroit: Afa and Sika captured the Detroit Tag Team titles.
  • January 1976 – NWA Mid-America: The Islanders (Afa and Sika) defeated Phil Hickerson and Dennis Condrey to win the US Tag titles.
  • October, 1977 – AWA: Afa and Sika won the Southern Tag Team titles.
  • January 5, 1978 – IWA: Afa and Sika won the IWA Tag Team titles in Tokyo, Japan.

World Wide Wrestling Federation:

  • The Wild Samoans enjoyed their greatest success in the World Wide Wrestling Federation, originally managed by Lou Albano.
  • October, 1979: Afa and Sika made their WWWF debut wrestling under the team name “Albano’s Wildmen”.
  • The Wild Samoans adopted a new, savage-like demeanor, which they never portrayed before joining the WWWF.
  • November 3, 1979 – Championship Wrestling: The Wild Samoans defeated Frankie Williams and Johnny Rivera in their TV debut.
  • The Wild Samoans quickly established themselves as prominent villains after gaining victories over top tag teams.
  • ~~~such as Bruno Sammartino and Dominic DeNucci, Ivan Putski and DeNucci, and Tito Santana and DeNucci.
  • January 21, 1980: The Wild Samoans wrestled Tito Santana and Ivan Putski (Tag Champs) in their Madison Square Garden debut.
  • The Wild Samoans continued to pursue the WWF Tag Team Titles as they bulldozed their way through a number of tag teams.
  • February 23, 1980: The Wild Samoans defeated Tito Santana and Ivan Putski (Tag Team Champions) by Count Out.
  • February 25, 1980: The Wild Samoans defeated Tito Santana and Ivan Putski (Tag Team Champions) by Count Out.
  • Around this time period both Afa and Sika became challengers to WWWF Champion Bob Backlund.
  • March 1, 1980: Afa wrestled WWF Champion Bob Backlund in Philadelphia at The Spectrum.
  • March 8, 1980 – Boston Gardens: The Wild Samoans defeated Tito Santana and Ivan Putski by Count Out.
  • March 24, 1980 – MSG: Afa defeated Dominic DeNucci | WWF Champion Bob Backlund defeated Sika.
  • April 12, 1980 – The Spectrum: The Wild Samoans defeated Tito Santana and Ivan Putski to win the Tag Team titles.
  • The Wild Samoans continued to take turns challenging Bob Backlund for the WWF Title while defending the Tag titles.
  • August 9, 1980 – Shae Stadium: Bob Backlund and Pedro Morales defeated The Wild Samoans in a 2/3 Falls match.
  • ~~~Backlund and Morales won the Tag Team titled but were stripped because Backlund was the current WWF Champion.
  • September 9, 1980: The Samoans defeated Tony Garea and Rene Goulet in the Tournament Final to win back the Tag Team titles.
  • November 8, 1980 – The Spectrum: Rick Martel and Tony Garea defeated the Wild Samoans to win the Tag Team titles.
  • Afa and Sika spent the remainder of 1980 putting over Rick Martel and Tony Garea in title matches.

Mid-South Wrestling

  • 1981-82: The Wild Samoans wrestled in Bill Watt’s Mid-South Wrestling with Ernie Ladd as their “financial adviser”.
  • ~~~The Wild Samoans won the Mid-South Tag Team titles under Ernie Ladd’s guidance.
  • ~~~The Wild Samoans turned on Ernie Ladd and joined General Skandar Akbar‘s Devestation Inc.
  • ~~~Ernie Ladd recruited the legendary Assassin (Jody Hamilton) to help him battle the Wild Samoans.
  • ~~~The Assassin ALSO turned on Ernie Ladd and joined Devestation Incorporated.
  • ~~~Ernie Ladd then recruited “Iron” Mike Sharpe as his new partner.
  • ~~~1982: Ernie Ladd and Mike Sharpe drove the Wild Samoans out of Mid-South Wrestling.
  • The Wild Samoans feuded with the Junk Yard Dog and Dick Murdoch over the Mid-South Tag Team titles.
  • ~~~This quickly became one of the most popular rivalries in Mid-South history.
  • June 1981: The Wild Samoans defeated Junk Yard Dog and Dick Murdoch to win the Tag Team titles.
  • September 1981: Junk Yard Dog and Dick Murdoch defeated The Wild Samoans to recapture the Tag Team titles.
  • The Wild Samoans won a total of THREE Mid-South Tag Team Championships.

National Wrestling Alliance:

  • 1982: The Wild Samoans had a brief stint in Jim Crockett’s NWA: Mid Atlantic territory.
  • August 29, 1982: The Wild Samoans defeated The Fabulous Freebirds to win the NWA National Tag Team titles.
  • The Wild Samoans vacated the National Tag Team titles months later after leaving the promotion.

World Wrestling Federation:

  • 1983: the Wild Samoans returned to the WWF, and are reunited with manager Captain Lou Albano.
  • March 18, 1983: The Wild Samoans defeated Chief Jay and Jules Strongbow for the WWWF Tag Team titles.
  • The Wild Samoans introduced a 3rd member, Samula (Samu), who temporarily replaced an injured Sika.
  • Sika eventually returned to the ring, but Samula remained as an unofficial member of the tag team.
  • The Wild Samoans worked a number of matches with two members of their extended family; Jimmy Snuka and Rocky Johnson.
  • November 15, 1983: Rocky Johnson and Tony Atlas defeated The Wild Samoans in a No DQ match to win the Tag Team titles.
  • December 7, 1983 – All-Star Wrestling: The Wild Samoans (Afa & Sika) defeated Nick DeCarlo & Salvatore Bellomo.
  • December 26, 1983 – MSG Network: The Wild Samoans (Afa, Samula & Sika) defeated Rocky Johnson, SD Jones & Tony Atlas.
  • January 14, 1984 – Live Event: The Wild Samoans (Afa & Sika) defeated The Invaders (Invader #1 & Invader #2).
  • January 21, 1984 – Prism Network: Andre The Giant, Jimmy Snuka, Rocky Johnson & Tony Atlas defeated Sgt. Slaughter & The Wild Samoans (Afa, Samula & Sika).
  • January 23, 1984 – MSG Network: Andre The Giant, Rocky Johnson & Tony Atlas defeated The Wild Samoans (Afa, Samula & Sika).
  • January 28, 1984 – Live Event: The Wild Samoans (Afa & Sika) defeated B. Brian Blair & Eddie Gilbert.
  • February 3, 1984 – Live Event: Bob Backlund & Jimmy Snuka defeated The Wild Samoans (Afa & Sika).
  • March 5, 1984 – Live Event: Andre The Giant & Ivan Putski defeated The Wild Samoans (Afa & Sika).
  • March 6, 1984 – Championship Wrestling: The Wild Samoans (Afa & Sika) defeated SD Jones & Steve Lombardi.
  • March 31, 1984 – Prism Network: Andre The Giant, Jimmy Snuka & Tony Garea defeated The Wild Samoans (Afa, Samula & Sika).
  • April 7-8, 1984 – Live Event: Rocky Johnson & Tony Atlas defeated The Wild Samoans (Afa & Sika) to retain the World tag team titles.
  • June 19, 1984 – Championship Wrestling: The Wild Samoans (Afa & Sika) defeated Lanny Kean & Rene Goulet.
  • June 30, 1984 – Live Event: The Wild Samoans (Afa & Sika) defeated The Moondogs (Moondog Rex & Moondog Spot).
  • July 2, 1984 – Live Event: Adrian Adonis & Dick Murdoch defeated The Wild Samoans (Afa & Sika) to retain the World tag team titles.
  • July 3, 5, 1984 – Live Event: The Wild Samoans (Afa & Sika) defeated Mr. Fuji & Tiger Chung Lee.
  • 1984: The Wild Samoans left the World Wrestling Federation.

Semi-retirement:

  • March 27, 1985 – International Wrestling: The Wild Samoans (Afa & Sika) defeated Raymond Rougeau & Tony Parisi.
  • April 18, 1985 – Pro Wrestling USA: The Wild Samoans (Afa & Sika) defeated King Tonga & The Masked Superstar.
  • April 19. 1985 – Pro Wrestling USA: The Samoans (Afa & Sika) defeated Steve Olsonoski & Tom Zenk.
  • 1986: Sika returned to the WWF as a singles competitor and was managed by The Wizard (Curtis Iaukea).
  • Sika occasionally formed a tag team with “The Ugandan Giant” Kamala.
  • Mr Fuji took over as Sika’s new manager (Sika also gained the services of Kim Chee).
  • September 23, 1987 – Saturday Night Main Event: Hulk Hogan defeated Sika to retain the WWF title.
  • March 27, 1988 – WrestleMania IV: Sika participated in the 20 Man Battle Royal.
  • 1988-89: The Wild Somans (Sika and Kokina) wrestled in Ron Fuller’s Continental Wrestling Federation.
  • Late 1992: Afa returned to the World Wrestling Federation to manage The Headshrinkers.
  • 1994: Afa co-managed (with Lou Albano) The Headshrinkers to the WWF Tag Team titles.
  • Afa and Sika now run a very successful wrestling school and are members of the Cauliflower Alley Club.
  • March 23, 2007 – SmackDown: They announced that the Wild Samoans will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2007.
  • March 31, 2007 – Hall of Fame: The Wild Samoans were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame by their sons, Samu and Rosey.
  • April 1, 2007 – WrestleMania 23: The Wild Samoans and the other HOF inductees were introduced to the audience at Fords Field.
  • June 25, 2024: Sika the father of Roman Reigns, passed away at the age of 79.
  • August 16, 2024: Afa passed away at the age of 81, just 2 months after his tag team partner Sika passed away which is crazy.
members: Afa & Sika
Manager: Capt. Lou Albano
previous names: The Samoans
The Islanders
Albano's Wildmen
favorite move(s): Samoan Drop
Headbutts
notable feuds: Rocky Johnson
Tony Atlas
Rick Martel
Tony Garea
Capt Lou Albano
Ernie Ladd
Mike Sharpe
images: http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/gallery/w/wildsamoans.html
gender: Male
status: Deceased
type: Tag-Team
current promotion: Inactive

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