Wikipedia

Jimmy Snuka

Fijian professional wrestler (1943-2017)
For his son Jimmy Snuka Jr., see Deuce (wrestler).

James Reiher Snuka[b] (born James Wiley Smith; May 18, 1943 – January 15, 2017) was a Fijian-American professional wrestler. He is better known by his ring name, Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka. His first match was in 1967. Snuka is one of the most remembered wrestlers, along with Hulk Hogan, Ted DiBiase, and more. His daughter Tamina Snuka currently works for the WWE. His son Jimmy Snuka, Jr. also worked for the company.

Jimmy Snuka
Snuka in 2011
Birth nameJames Wiley Smith
Born(1943-05-18)May 18, 1943
Suva, Fiji[a]
DiedJanuary 15, 2017(2017-01-15) (aged 73)
Coral Springs, Florida, U.S.
Spouse(s)
  • Sharon Snuka
    (m. 1964; div. 1999)
  • Carole Snuka (m. 2004)
ChildrenDeuce, Liana Snuka and Tamina
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)Jimmy Snuka
Jimmy Kealoha[1]
Lani Kealoha[2]
Tami Snuka[1]
The Superfly
Big Snuka[1]
Great Snuka[2]
Billed height5 ft 10 in (178 cm)[3]
Billed weight235 lb (107 kg)[3]
Billed fromThe Fiji Islands
Trained byDanny Hodge
Debut1968[4]
Retired2015[5]

He retired from wrestling in 2015. In August 2015, his wife announced that Snuka was diagnosed with stomach cancer.[7]

On September 1, 2015, Snuka was arrested and charged with third-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter in the 1983 death of his girlfriend Nancy Argentino at an Allentown, Pennsylvania hotel.[8] The charges were dismissed in 2017, because of Snuka's terminal illness and dementia.

Snuka died of stomach cancer on January 15, 2017 in Pompano Beach, Florida, aged 74.[9]

Championships change

  • All Japan Pro Wrestling
  • Catch Wrestling Association
    • CWA British Commonwealth Championship (1 time)
  • Cauliflower Alley Club
    • Other honoree (1996)[11]
  • Continental Wrestling Association
    • CWA International Tag Team Championship (one time) (with JT Southern)
  • Eastern Championship Wrestling
  • Georgia Championship Wrestling
  • International Wrestling Superstars
    • IWS United States Championship (one time)[14]
  • Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling
    • NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Mid-Atlantic version) (one time)
    • NWA World Tag Team Championship (Mid-Atlantic version) (two times) (with Paul Orndorff (one) and Ray Stevens (one))
  • NWA All-Star Wrestling
    • NWA Canadian Tag Team Championship (Vancouver version) (one time) (with Don Leo Jonathan)
  • NWA Big Time Wrestling
    • NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship (one time)
    • NWA Texas Tag Team Championship (one time) with Gino Hernandez
  • NWA Tri-State Wrestling
    • NWA Tri-State Heavyweight Championship (one time)
  • Pacific Northwest Wrestling
    • NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Championship (five times)
    • NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Championship (six times) with Dutch Savage
  • Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame
  • Pro Wrestling Illustrated
    • PWI Match of the Year (1982) (vs. Bob Backlund in a cage match on June 28)
    • PWI Most Popular Wrestler of the Year (1983)
    • PWI Tag Team of the Year (1980) (with Ray Stevens)
    • He was ranked #29 of the 500 best singles wrestlers by PWI during the "PWI Years" in 2003.
  • Universal Superstars of America
    • USA Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
  • USA Pro Wrestling
    • USA Pro New York Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
  • World Wide Wrestling Alliance
    • WWWA Heavyweight Championship (one time)
  • World Wrestling Federation
  • Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
    • Tag Team of the Year in 1981 with Terry Gordy
    • Best Flying Wrestler in 1981
    • Best Wrestling Maneuver in 1981 and 1983 for the Superfly Splash.

Footnotes change

  1. ↑ Fiji was a British colony at the time of Snuka's birth.
  2. ↑ Reiher legally changed his surname to Snuka.[6]

References change

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Meltzer, Dave (1996). The Wrestling Observer's Who's Who in Pro Wrestling. Wrestling Observer. pp. 111–112.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Historical Dictionary of Wrestling. Scarecrow Press. 2014. p. 272. ISBN 9780810879263.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Shields, Brian; Sullivan, Kevin (2009). WWE Encyclopedia. DK. p. 155. ISBN 978-0-7566-4190-0.
  4. ↑ Shields, Brian (2010). Main Event: WWE in the Raging 80s. Simon & Schuster. p. 51. ISBN 978-1416532576.
  5. ↑ Mason Schroeder, Laurie (May 13, 2016). "Psychologist says Snuka 'shell of a man,' but video shows 'Superfly Splash' from last year". The Morning Call. Archived from the original on May 14, 2016. Retrieved May 15, 2016.
  6. ↑ Mooneyham, Mike (January 20, 2013). "Superfly Jimmy Snuka soars again in new book". The Post and Courier. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
  7. ↑ "Jimmy Snuka diagnosed with Stomach cancer, wife Carole reveals". Bleacher Report.com. Retrieved August 4, 2015.
  8. ↑ "Wrestling legend Jimmy 'Superfly' Snuka charged in girlfriend's 1983 death". The Morning Call. Retrieved September 1, 2015.
  9. ↑ McCausland, Phil (January 15, 2017). "Controversial Wrestler Jimmy 'Superfly' Snuka Dead at 73". NBC News. Retrieved January 15, 2017.
  10. ↑ "Titleholder". All Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). Archived from the original on October 11, 2014. Retrieved September 1, 2015.
  11. ↑ "List of CAC Award Winners". Cauliflower Alley Club. Archived from the original on March 24, 2016. Retrieved September 1, 2015.
  12. ↑ "The highs and lows of Superfly". Slam! Sports. Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved September 1, 2015.
  13. ↑ "ECW TV Championship - Jimmy Snuka (March 12, 1993 - October 01, 1993)". WWE. Archived from the original on September 18, 2015. Retrieved September 1, 2015.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 "On this day in pro wrestling history (July 6): Terry Gordy & Jimmy Snuka win belts, Santana vs. Valentine, Goldberg vs. Hogan seta WCW record". Wrestling Observer. Retrieved September 1, 2015.
  15. ↑ "Class of 2012". Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on March 27, 2009. Retrieved September 1, 2015.

Other websites change

 
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