Thursday, March 28, 2024
Jimmy Snuka

Jimmy Snuka

Born:
05/18/1943
,
Suva, Fiji
Birthname:
James Reiher Snuka
Height & Weight:
5'10"
,
235 Ib

Titles Won:

  • NWA ECW Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
  • NWA ECW Television Championship
  • NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Championship (6 times)
  • NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Championship (7 times) – with Frankie Laine and Dutch Savage (6)
  • WWF Hall of Fame (Class of 1996)

Snuka wrestled for several promotions from the 1970s to 1990s. He is best known for his time in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) in the early to mid-1980s and is credited with introducing the high-flying style of wrestling to the WWF.

He was inducted into the WWF Hall of Fame in 1996. Snuka was the first WrestleMania opponent of The Undertaker (at the seventh annual event), this being the first match in the latter’s undefeated WrestleMania streak. Snuka was the inaugural ECW Heavyweight Champion in Eastern Championship Wrestling (later Extreme Championship Wrestling) and held the title on two occasions. His children, Jimmy Reiher, Jr. and Tamina Snuka, are also wrestlers.

Snuka was indicted and arrested in September 2015 on third-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter charges, in relation to the May 1983 death of his girlfriend, Nancy Argentino. He pleaded not guilty.

Notable Feuds

vs. Jesse Ventura

vs. Lou Albano, Freddie Blassie and Ray Stevens

vs. Don Muraco

vs. Roddy Piper

vs. Colonel DeBeers

Other Notable Achievements

AJPW World’s Strongest Tag Determination League (1981) – with Bruiser Brody

CWA British Commonwealth Championship

CWA International Tag Team Championship – with JT Southern

AWA Midwest Heavyweight Championship

ECPW Heavyweight Championship

NWA National Tag Team Championship – with Terry Gordy

IWS United States Championship

NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Mid-Atlantic version)

NWA World Tag Team Championship (Mid-Atlantic version) (2 times) – with Paul Orndorff (1) and Ray Stevens (1)

NCW Tag Team Championship – with Johnny Gunn

NWF Heavyweight Championship

NWL Heavyweight Championship

NEW Heavyweight Championship

NWA Canadian Tag Team Championship (Vancouver version) – with Don Leo Jonathan

NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship

NWA Texas Tag Team Championship – with Gino Hernandez

NWA Tri-State Heavyweight Championship

NWA West Viriginia/Ohio Heavyweight Championship

New England Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame Class of 2010

Pro Wrestling Illustrated Match of the Year (1982) vs. Bob Backlund in a cage match on June 28

Most Popular Wrestler of the Year (1983)

Tag Team of the Year (1980) with Ray Stevens

Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame Class of 2012

USA Heavyweight Championship (2 times)

USA Pro New York Heavyweight Championship

WWWA Heavyweight Championship

WWWA Intercontinental Championship

Wrestling Observer Newsletter Tag Team of the Year (1981) with Terry Gordy

Best Flying Wrestler (1981)

Best Wrestling Maneuver (1981, 1983) Superfly Splash