| Leati Anoa'i | |
|---|---|
| Ring name(s) | Sika |
| Billed height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Billed weight | 315 lbs |
| Born | April 5, 1945 [1] Leone, American Samoa[1] |
| Resides | Gulf Breeze, Florida[2] |
| Billed from | Samoa |
| Trained by | Afa Anoa'i[3] |
| Debut | 1974 |
Leati "Sika" Anoa'i[4] (born April 5, 1945)[1] is a former professional wrestler and a member of the Anoa'i family.
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Sika teamed with his brother Afa to form the tag team the Wild Samoans.[4] They teamed in various promotions including WWF and Mid-South. In 1979, they signed with the World Wrestling Federation (now World Wrestling Entertainment).[5] Along with Afa, Sika held the WWF Tag Team Championship on three occasions.[6] They won their first title in the WWF by defeating the team of Ivan Putski and Tito Santana on April 12, 1980.[7] The Wild Samoans held the belts for almost four months before losing them to Bob Backlund and Pedro Morales on August 9.[7] The title was vacated the following day, however, because Backlund already held the WWF Championship and could not defend both titles. A tournament was held to select the new champions, and The Wild Samoans defeated Tony Garea and Rene Goulet to regain the belts.[7][8]
After losing the title to Garea and Rick Martel, the Wild Samoans left the WWF to compete in Bill Watts' Mid-South Wrestling. They won the tag team championship three times before leaving the promotion to wrestle in the National Wrestling Alliance's Mid-Atlantic territory.[8] While there, the Wild Samoans defeated the Fabulous Freebirds to win the NWA National Tag Team Championship.[8] Sika and Afa soon left the promotion and vacated the championship.[8]
Following their stint in the NWA, the Wild Samoans returned to the WWF. They won their third and final WWF Tag Team Championship on March 8, 1983 by defeating Jules Strongbow and Chief Jay Strongbow.[7] Four days later, Sika sustained an injury during a match. As a result, he was forced to take time off while his nephew Samula Anoa'i helped defend the title in his place.[9] After Afa left the WWF, Sika teamed with Kamala and was managed by King Curtis Iaukea until Mr. Fuji took over management of the team.[10] Sika also headlined the October 3, 1987 edition of Saturday Night's Main Event against Hulk Hogan.[11] On March 27, 1988 Sika was a part of the battle royal at WrestleMania IV, but he did not win.[12]
Anoa'i also appeared alongside Roddy Piper and other WWF wrestlers in the 1987 film Body Slam.[4][5] In 1988, Sika teamed up with another relative, Kokina (better known as Yokozuna). The pair wrestled as a tag team in Continental Wrestling Federation and were managed by Alan Martin.[13]
On the March 23, 2007 edition of WWE Friday Night SmackDown, it was announced that Afa and Sika would be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2007.[14] On March 31, 2007, the Wild Samoans were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame by Afa's son, Samu, and Sika's son, Matt.[15]
Sika and Afa now run The Wild Samoan Training Center, a wrestling school that has produced such alumni as Umaga and Batista, Rikishi, Billy Kidman, Chris Kanyon...[2] In March 2002, Sika suffered head and facial injuries when a beer truck hit his car near Pensacola, Florida.[4]
In 1999, Sika started up an independent wrestling promotion in Pensacola, Fl called XW 2000, along with its co-founders and therefore original members, Matt Anoai (aka Roz), Steve Savage, The Great Samu, Maxwel E Payne, Chief Iron Nipple Eddie Pitman, Rick Lamb (with Manager Mike 'Romeo' Flynn), Chris Cody, Deuce Mason among a plethora of young talent to help those in need through Fund Raising events. From 1999 until 2008, the promotion had a successful run, along with former WWE talents such as Rikishi, Luna Vachon, Gangrel, The Island Boyz Ekmo (aka Umaga) and Kimo (aka Rosey/Roz), Grandmaster Sexay, Heidenrich, Black Pearl and Dr.Shizitz. It also had a few up and coming stars such as B.A.D, Heavy B, Wendy G (formerly known as A-Man ), D Ray 3000 (formerly known as Kid Crisis), Steve Fury, James Ryker, Cameron Frost, Billy Rayz, Scotty Rayz, Sirus LaVaye ( aka Mister Omega ), DJ Pringle, and "Snow Plow" Jerry Reiner just to name a few... Now in 2010 XW 2000 is running Shows once again, under the same family-oriented show format, for Fund Raising Events to our War Veterans and help the Community in general across the Florida Panhandle.
One of 4 children, Sika moved to the United States when he was 14. His father was a pastor and was transferred to San Francisco.[1] To help feed his family, Sika joined the Merchant Marine.[1] Eventually, he followed Afa's lead and began wrestling professionally.[1]
Sika has two sons, Matt and Joe.[5][16] Matt is a professional wrestler, who briefly wrestled in WWE under the name "Rosey". He currently works out of All Japan Pro Wrestling. Joe played college football for Georgia Tech from 2003-2006.[17] Joe has also followed the family legacy and entered the squared circle working for WWE's developmental territory under the name Roman Leakee. He and his brother Afa are related to heavyweight boxer David Tua and Wrestling Great Tiny Tiswell of APW.[18]
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