TAG TEAM PROFILES

[Wild Samoans Gallery] [Samoan Family Gallery]	Team: The Wild Samoans Members: Afa & Sika Manager: Capt. Lou Albano Debut: Finishing Move: Favorite Moves: Samoan Drop Headbutts Previous Names: The Samoans The Islanders Albano's Wildmen The Wild Samoans Notable Feuds: Rocky Johnson Tony Atlas Rick Martel Tony Garea Capt Lou Albano Ernie Ladd Mike Sharpe
NWA Florida Tag Team titles defeating Eddie & 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 & Mighty Igor (1975); NWA (Detriot) Tag Team titles defeating Hank James & Fred Curry (1975); NWA (Gulf Coast) Tag Team titles defeating Bobby & Ricky Fields (March 4, 1977) AWA Southern Tag Team titles (October 1977); IWA World Tag Team titles defeating Animal Hamaguchi & Great Kusatsu (January 5, 1978); Stampede International Tag Team titles defeating Carlos Colon & Gino Caruso (); Stampede International Tag Team titles defeating Benny Ramirez & Gil Hayes (); NWA (Mid America) Southern Tag Team titles defeated Pat Barrett & Norvell Austin (); WWF Tag Team titles defeating Ivan Putski & Tito Santana (April 12, 1980); WWF Tag Team titles defeating Tony Garea & Rene Goulet in a tournament (September 9,1980); Mid-South Tag Team titles defeating Junkyard Dog & Dick Murdoch (June 1981); Mid-South Tag Team titles defeating Junkyard Dog & Dick Murdoch (1981); Mid-South Tag Team titles defeating Junkyard Dog & Dick Murdoch (January 1982); NWA National Tag Team titles defeated The Fabulous Freebirds (August 29, 1982); WWF Tag Team titles defeating Chief Jay & Jules Strongbow (March 8, 1983); NWA (Mid America) United States Tag Team titles defeating Phil Hickerson & Dennis Condrey (January 1976);
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 & Sika wrestled for Stu Hart's Stampede Wrestling promotion, where they also trained in the famous Stu Hart Dungeon.. 1973: Afa & Sika won the Stampede International Tag Team titles on two separate occasions.. June 1, 1973 - NWA Florida: Afa & Sika defeated Eddie & Mike Graham to win the NWA Florida Tag Team titles.. November 5, 1973 - NWA Canada: Afa & Sika defeated Gene Kiniski & The Brute to win the Tag Team titles.. 1975 - NWA Detroit: Afa & Sika captured the Detroit Tag Team titles.. January 1976 - NWA Mid-America: The Islanders (Afa & Sika) defeated Phil Hickerson & Dennis Condrey to win the US Tag titles.. October, 1977 - AWA: Afa & Sika won the Southern Tag Team titles.. January 5, 1978 - IWA: Afa & 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 & 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 & 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 & Dominic DeNucci, Ivan Putski & DeNucci, and Tito Santana & DeNucci.. January 21, 1980: The Wild Samoans wrestled Tito Santana & 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 & Ivan Putski (Tag Team Champions) by Count Out.. February 25, 1980: The Wild Samoans defeated Tito Santana & Ivan Putski (Tag Team Champions) by Count Out.. Around this time period both Afa & 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 & 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 & 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 & Pedro Morales defeated The Wild Samoans in a 2/3 Falls match.. ~~~Backlund & Morales won the Tag Team titled but were stripped because Backlund was the current WWF Champion.. September 9, 1980: The Samoans defeated Tony Garea & Rene Goulet in the Tournament Final to win back the Tag Team titles.. November 8, 1980 - The Spectrum: Rick Martel & Tony Garea defeated the Wild Samoans to win the Tag Team titles.. Afa & Sika spent the remainder of 1980 putting over Rick Martel & 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 & Mike Sharpe drove the Wild Samoans out of Mid-South Wrestling.. The Wild Samoans feuded with the Junk Yard Dog & 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 & Dick Murdoch to win the Tag Team titles.. September 1981: Junk Yard Dog & 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 & 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 & Rocky Johnson.. November 15, 1983: Rocky Johnson & Tony Atlas defeated The Wild Samoans in a No DQ match to win the Tag Team titles.. 1984: The Wild Samoans left the World Wrestling Federation.. Semi-retirement 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 & 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 & 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..