Islanders (professional wrestling)
Islanders | |
---|---|
Tag team | |
Combined billed weight | 501 lb (227 kg; 35.8 st)[1] |
Billed from | The South Pacific |
Former member(s) | Haku[1] Tama[1] Siva Afi[2] |
Debut | 1986[2] |
Disbanded | 1988[1] |
Years active | 1986-1988[2] |
The Islanders was a
History
Formation
Prior to being known as Haku, Fifita wrestled as King Tonga, entering the WWF in late-1985. He bodyslammed Big John Studd on a televised show at a time when Studd was being billed as a man who couldn't be slammed.[2] Sam Fatu (Tama) meanwhile, wrestled in the WWF in 1983-1984 as the Tonga Kid, eventually aiding Jimmy Snuka in his feud against Rowdy Roddy Piper.[2] He disappeared shortly after the Piper feud and returned to the WWF in mid-1986, still wrestling as the Tonga Kid. He was almost immediately put into a tag team with King Tonga, given their new names and christened The Islanders. Initially, they wrestled as faces.[2]
Face run
Initially, the Islanders wrestled preliminary matches. They won most of the matches and occasionally got matches against higher card teams, such as the
Heel run
Shortly after WrestleMania, the Islanders continued losing to Demolition, but were scheduled for a match on the WWF Superstars of Wrestling. Their opponents were the popular Can-Am Connection (Rick Martel and Tom Zenk), in what was billed as a scientific match.[1] Manager Bobby Heenan appeared at ringside during the bout, seemingly surprising both teams, the referee, and the commentators. The confusion allowed the Islanders to attack the Can-Ams from behind, giving the Islanders a countout win. Tama gave a flying headbutt to Tom Zenk on the arena floor as Bobby Heenan gloated over his new tag team. A summer feud with the most popular tag team in the federation was brewing, but was scrapped when Tom Zenk departed the WWF.[2] Zenk's departure was worked into the feud, as Heenan and the Islanders pointed out that Zenk was a quitter and abandoned Martel in his time of need.
As heels, The Islanders had two major feuds. The first was with
In between feuds, the Islanders appeared at the very first
The Islanders' second major feud, which started shortly after the Survivor Series, was with
Legacy
After a brief run in rival
Championships and accomplishments
- World Wrestling Federation
- Slammy Award (1 time)
- Bobby "The Brain" Heenan Scholarship Award (1987) with André the Giant, Hercules, King Kong Bundy and Harley Race
- Slammy Award (1 time)
See also
References
- ^ ISBN 978-0-7566-4190-0.
- ^ ISBN 978-1492825975.
- )
- ^ "Survivor Series 1987 official results". WWE. Retrieved 2008-05-27.
- ^ "WrestleMania IV official results". WWE. Retrieved June 18, 2015.
- ^ "1988". The History of WWE. Retrieved 2011-12-31.