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The following biography
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James Reiher (born May 18, 1943 in Fiji) is an
American professional wrestler, especially popular in the 1980s as Superfly
Jimmy Snuka.
****
Ring name(s) The Big Snuka
Superfly Snuka
Jimmy Snuka
Jimmy Kealoha
Lani Kealoha
The Great Snuka
SupaSplash
Height 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight 244 lb (111 kg)
Born 18th May 1943
Fiji Islands
Trained by Danny Hodge
Debut 1969
****
Career
His nickname "Superfly" apparently came from his
acrobatic skills and moves, including his signature wrestling move, where Snuka
would leave his stunned opponent laying on the mat, and then Snuka would climb
on to a corner of the ring's ropes, stand up, and dive face down, landing on the
opponent in pin position (unless the opponent revived and moved out of the way).
Jimmy Snuka (the character), like Reiher, was from
Fiji. He would wrestle barefoot. He popularized the "I Love You" gesture, which
he displayed as he jumped from the ropes in his signature move.
Equal parts athlete and showman, he was a favorite
in professional wrestling. He was also successful, winning the Pacific Northwest
Wrestling (PNW) Heavyweight title five times and the PNW Tag Team Championship
six times. Snuka went on to wrestle in several other National Wrestling Alliance
(NWA) regions.
In March 1980 Snuka entered the then World
Wrestling Federation (WWF) as a heel under the guidance of Captain Lou Albano.
Snuka received several title shots at WWF champion Bob Backlund, the final being
a famous steel cage match in which Snuka leaped from the top of the cage barely
missing Backlund who managed to escape for the win. Even though Snuka was a
heel, the Northeast fans started to cheer on Snuka and his athletic style.
Eventually, Snuka and Albano split ways and Snuka became a face . Albano would
bring in Snuka's former Mid Atlantic tag team partner Ray Stevens, to feud with
him. Former Champion "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers became Snuka's manager. Rogers
had also managed Snuka in the Mid Atlantic. Snuka was the top draw at the
beginning of Vince McMahon's expansion and was a candidate for what would become
Hulk Hogan's role in the company, but out of the ring issues and lack of mic
skills relegated him to the midcard.
In 1983, Snuka encountered a personal crisis that
would haunt him for many years to come. On May 10, 1983, after finishing his
last match at the WWF TV taping at the Lehigh County Agricultural Hall in
Allentown, Pennsylvania, Snuka became the focal point of an investigation
regarding the suspicious death of his girlfriend Nancy Argentino. In the early
hours the morning after the Allentown event, Argentino was discovered
semi-conscious in a hotel room next to a sleeping Snuka. Various accounts of the
cause came to light from alleged abuse to a slip and fall caused by
intoxication. Argentino was taken to nearby hospital and later died of a skull
fracture. The death was ruled accidental.
After a few months of recovery from the loss of his
girlfriend, Snuka's most famous career moment occurred in October 1983 when he
fought longtime rival "Magnificent" Don Muraco in a steel cage match in Madison
Square Garden in New York City. The match ended in a loss for the Superfly but
he managed to drag Muraco back into the ring and this time connect with his most
famous Superfly Splash ever off the top of the steel cage at MSG. This single
act cemented Jimmy Snuka as the top WWF wrestler of 1983 as well as led the way
for today's generation of high fliers in the squared circle. WWE superstar Mick
Foley and ECW Star Tommy Dreamer were both in attendance at the event and both
attribute this match as the reason they decided to aggressively pursue
professional wrestling.
The following year began another highlight in his
career with his fan favorite year long feud with "Rowdy Roddy Piper". After a
segment on Piper's Pit where Piper was berating Jimmy by calling him a "big
shot" and "monkey", Piper proceeded to smash a real coconut on Jimmy's head when
he turned his back momentarily. This was followed by a beating with a belt and
further humiliation before the WWF cut to a commercial. Their matches were
played out over venues across the US and concluded with Snuka managing Hulk
Hogan and Mr. T against Piper and Paul Orndorff (with Bob Orton in their corner)
at the first ever WrestleMania in 1985.
After a stint in alcohol/drug rehab, Snuka
resurfaced in the American Wrestling Association (AWA) replacing the injured
Jerry Blackwell as Greg Gagne's partner in a tag team match against Bruiser
Brody and Nord the Barbarian at WrestleRock '86. Snuka would split his time
between the AWA and Japan throughout 1986 and 1987. His most notable feud in the
AWA during that time was with Col. DeBeers (Ed Wiskoski).
Like many aging veterans before him, Snuka
re-emerged to the WWF in 1989 to help put over younger stars, like Curt Hennig
and Rick Rude. In 1991, he was the also first PPV singles opponent for The
Undertaker who would be a top contender in the WWE for many years to come.
After leaving the WWF in 1991, Jimmy toured with
various smaller organizations in the early 90's and played a role in the
formation of Paul Heyman's ECW (Eastern Championship Wrestling) organization
along with Don Muraco and Terry Funk. Snuka was ECW's first heavyweight champion
and toured with the company in arguably the best shape of his life.
He was inducted into the WWF Hall of Fame in 1996.
He also continued to spend much of his time with East Coast wrestling
organizations through the late 1990's and into the 2000's. Snuka received a
lifetime achievement award from the WWE in 2002 at Madison Square Garden and
began to be thrust into skits by the WWE in 2004/2005.
In 2005, he appeared at the WWE Homecoming, in
which he delivered a Superfly Splash to Rob Conway. He also took part in a
backstage skit, chasing after a partially disrobed Mae Young with a wad of Ted
DiBiase's money. He was a part of the 2005 Taboo Tuesday pay-per-view, where
fans voted for him (ahead of Kamala and Jim Duggan) to team with Eugene against
Rob Conway and Tyson Tomko. Snuka won the match, pinning Conway after a superfly
splash.
Snuka continues to work in nostalgia bits for WWE
as well as work for U.S. independent shows and conventions well into his 60's
and seems to have no plans to retire. He currently lives in New Jersey with his
wife Carol.
Trivia
Snuka was the first ECW World Heavyweight Champion.
(The ECW referenced here stands for "Eastern Championship Wrestling", the
Philadelphia, PA promotion run by Tod Gordon and predecessor of what would
become Extreme Championship Wrestling in mid-1994.)
Snuka is the uncle of The Rock, Rikishi, Umaga,
Rosey, and Samu the Headshrinker.
In January 1992, Snuka faced Shawn Michaels in his
first solo appearance at Madison Square Garden.
Snuka was at one time married to The Rock's aunt.
Snuka's popular "I Love You" hand gesture was
incorporated into hip-hop culture in the early 1980s.
Snuka was the first "victim" to the The
Undertaker's undefeated Wrestlemania winning streak. He is also partially, if
not entirely, responsible for the Undertaker being known as the "Phenom". During
his Wrestlemania match with the Undertaker, Gorilla Monsoon referred to Snuka as
"The Phenom, Superfly Jimmy Snuka."
finishing & signature moves
Superfly splash (Top rope splash)
Piledriver
Headbutt
Backhand chop
Championships/Accomplishments
National Wrestling Alliance
1-Time NWA United States Heavyweight Champion
1-Time NWA United States Heavyweight Champion
(Toronto version)
2-Time NWA World Tag Team Champion (with Paul
Orndorff and Ray Stevens)
1-Time NWA National Tag Team Champion (with Terry
Gordy)
5-Time NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Champion
6-Time NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Champion
(with Dutch Savage)
American Wrestling Association
1-Time American Wrestling Association (AWA)
Southern International Tag Team Champion (with J.T. Southern)
World Class Championship Wrestling
1-Time WCCW Texas Heavyweight Champion
1-Time WCCW Texas Tag Team Champion (with Gino
Hernandez)
Eastern/Extreme Championship Wrestling
2-Time ECW Heavyweight Champion
1-Time ECW Television Champion
Wrestling Observer Newsletter
1981 Tag Team of the Year (with Terry Gordy)
1981 Best Flying Wrestler
Other titles
1-Time WWWA Heayvweight Champion
1-Time USA Pro Heavyweight Champion
1-Time Tri-State Heavyweight Champion
1-Time USA New York Champion
Member of WWE Hall of Fame (inducted in 1996)
Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) ranked him #29 of
the 500 best singles wrestlers during the "PWI Years" in 2003. He was also
ranked #41 of the best tag teams during the "PWI Years" with Ray Stevens.
Snuka won the PWI Tag Team of the Year Award in
1980 with Ray Stevens and the 1983 PWI Most Popular Wrestler Award. He was
involved in the 1982 Match of the Year (vs. Bob Backlund).
* *
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URL of Original Article:
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Date Article Copied:
July 22, 2006
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