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Tama Tonga

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Tama Tonga
Tonga in March 2016
Birth nameAlipate Fifita
Born (1982-10-15) October 15, 1982 (age 42)[1]
Nukuʻalofa, Tonga[2]
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)Kava
King Tonga, Jr.
Pate Fifita
Tama Tonga
Tonga Strong Machine[3]
Billed height1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)[2]
Billed weight95 kg (209 lb)[2]
Trained byMark LoMonaco[2]
Devon Hughes[2]
Debut2008

Alipate "Pate" Fifita (born October 15, 1982) is a Tongan professional wrestler better known by the ring name Tama Tonga. He is currently working for the Japanese professional wrestling promotion New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW), where he is currently in his second reign as one half of the IWGP Tag Team Champions, while also being a former one-time NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Champion. He is the son of professional wrestler Tonga Fifita and brother of Taula and Tevita Fifita. Fifita is under contract with NJPW, but has also worked with NJPW's partner Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL).

Early life

Alipate and his brother Taula were adopted by professional wrestler Tonga Fifita, better known as Haku, and raised along biological son Tevita and a daughter. Fifita spent six years in the United States Air Force, which taught him self-discipline that has helped him in his wrestling career. Once his Air Force career ended he was inspired by his father to become a professional wrestler.[4]

Professional wrestling career

Early career (2008-2010)

Fifita began his professional wrestling career in 2008, working on the independent circuit after graduating from Bully Ray and Devon Team 3D Academy of Professional Wrestling and Sports Entertainment. He worked for World Xtreme Wrestling and even held the WXW Television Championship for seven days. He also worked in Puerto Rico for the World Wrestling Council, where he and Idol Stevens held the WWC World Tag Team Championship for 20 days. Early in his career he worked under various ring names such as Kava, King Tonga, Jr., and Pate Fifita. Alipate and his adoptive brother Tevita took part in a WWE tryout together, which led to Tevita being signed to a contract.[5]

New Japan Pro Wrestling

Debut (2010–2012)

Fifita began working for the Japanese wrestling promotion New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) in May 2010 under the name "Tama Tonga". His debut match came as part of the 2010 Super Junior Tag Tournament, where he teamed up with Davey Richards, but lost in the first round to El Samurai and Koji Kanemoto.[6] Tonga was one of 16 wrestlers that competed in the 2010 Best of the Super Juniors tournament. He defeated Davey Richards and Nobuo Yoshihashi but lost to Fujita Hayato, Kenny Omega, Koji Kanemoto, Ryusuke Taguchi and Taiji Ishimori and ended up with just four points, second to last his group.[7][8][9][10][11][12][13] He teamed up with Hirooki Goto to compete in the 2010 G1 Tag League tournament. The team earned four points for victories over King Fale and Super Strong Machine, and the team of Togi Makabe and Tomoaki Honma. The two lost to the teams of Yuji Nagata and Wataru Inoue, Manabu Nakanishi and Strong Man, and finally Masato Tanaka and Tomohiro Ishii, ending fourth in their group.[14][15][16][17][18] He also entered the 2011 G1 Tag League tournament, this time teaming up with Strong Man. Tonga's success in the 2011 league was even less than his first league showing, winning only one match over the team of King Fale and Yuji Nagata, but being defeated by the rest of the teams in his group.[19] On January 4, 2012, Tonga worked on NJPW's biggest show of the year as he appeared in a dark matches before NJPW's Wrestle Kingdom VI show. The match saw Tama Tonga and Captain New Japan defeat Kyosuke Mikami and Tomoaki Honma.[20]

Excursion to CMLL (2012)

In September 2012 it was announced that Tonga would visit Mexico and work for NJPW's Mexican partner, Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) for an extended trip to expose him to other styles of wrestling.[21] His debut match for CMLL saw him participate in the 2012 version of CMLL's Leyenda de Azul ("The Blue Legend") tournament. The match was a 16-man torneo cibernetico elimination match, from which Tonga was eliminated when Atlantis and Shocker double teamed him.[22] Following the tournament Tonga worked with a number of CMLL's top starts, including the Leyenda de Azul tournament winner Diamante Azul. On November 13, Tonga and El Terrible won the CMLL World Tag Team Championship from Atlantis and Diamante Azul.[23][24] Tonga next made it to the finals of the 2012 La Copa Junior Tournament, where, on December 14, he was defeated by La Sombra in the main event of CMLL's 2012 Sin Piedad ("No Mercy") show.[25]

Bullet Club (2013–present)

Main article: Bullet Club
Tonga (far right) with Bullet Club in September 2013

Tonga returned to NJPW in early 2013, just in time to compete on NJPW's January 4 Wrestle Kingdom 7 in Tokyo Dome where he teamed up with Captain New Japan and Wataru Inoue to defeat Jado, Tomohiro Ishii and Yoshi-Hashi when Tonga pinned Jado.[26] On April 7, Tonga and El Terrible successfully defended the CMLL World Tag Team Championship against La Máscara and Valiente at New Japan's Invasion Attack event.[27] On May 3 at Wrestling Dontaku 2013, Tonga formed a new villainous alliance named Bullet Club with Prince Devitt, Bad Luck Fale, and Karl Anderson when the four attacked Hiroshi Tanahashi.[28][29] On July 5, Tonga and El Terrible lost the CMLL World Tag Team Championship to Tanahashi and Jushin Thunder Liger.[30] Tonga regained the title from Tanahashi and Liger on September 14 with new partner Rey Bucanero.[31] Tonga returned to CMLL with Bucanero in early October.[32] On October 18, Tonga and Bucanero were stripped of the CMLL World Tag Team Championship, when they were unable to defend the title against La Máscara and Rush due to Bucanero being sidelined with an injury.[33][34] Tonga remained in CMLL until the end of the year. Throughout 2014, Tonga remained the lowest-ranking member of Bullet Club. In November, he and Bad Luck Fale entered the 2014 World Tag League,[35] where they finished at the bottom of their block with a record of three wins and four losses.[36]

On January 4, 2016, at Wrestle Kingdom 10 in Tokyo Dome, Tonga took part in a match to determine the inaugural NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Champions, where he, Bad Luck Fale and Yujiro Takahashi were defeated by Jay Briscoe, Mark Briscoe and Toru Yano.[37] On February 11 at The New Beginning in Osaka, Tonga, Fale and Takahashi defeated the Briscoes and Yano in a rematch to win the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship.[38] After a three-day reign, the three lost the title back to the Briscoes and Yano at The New Beginning in Niigata.[39] On March 3, Tonga scored the biggest win of his career by defeating former IWGP Heavyweight Champion and reigning IWGP Tag Team Champion Togi Makabe in the first round of the 2016 New Japan Cup.[40] The following day, he was eliminated from the tournament in the second round by Hirooki Goto.[41] In March, Tonga announced a new partnership with his adoptive brother and newest Bullet Club member Tanga Roa. The team was named "Guerrillas of Destiny" (G.O.D)Cite error: The <ref> tag has too many names (see the help page). with Tonga stating that the name was a reference to his ring name meaning "Battle of God" and his brother's ring name meaning "Family of God".[5] On April 10 at Invasion Attack 2016, G.O.D defeated Makabe and Honma to become the new IWGP Tag Team Champions.[42] They lost the title to Jay and Mark Briscoe on June 19 at Dominion 6.19 in Osaka-jo Hall.[43] Shortly afterwards, Tonga returned to CMLL with his brother for a brief excursion and the two competed in the 2016 International Gran Prix, where Tonga lasted all the way to the final two before losing to Volador Jr.[44] Upon his return to NJPW, Tonga entered the 2016 G1 Climax, where, in his third match on July 25, he scored the biggest win of his career by defeating Hiroshi Tanahashi.[45] Tonga finished the tournament on August 12 with a record of four wins and five losses.[46] On October 10 at King of Pro-Wrestling, the Guerrillas of Destiny regained the IWGP Tag Team Championship from the Briscoe Brothers.[47]

In wrestling

Tonga performing the Veleno on Captain New Japan
Guerrillas of Destiny performing the Guerrilla Warfare on Mark Briscoe

Championships and accomplishments

Tonga as one half of the IWGP Tag Team Champions in November 2016

References

  1. ^ "Tama Tonga". The Internet Wrestling Database. Retrieved December 31, 2015.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j タマ・トンガ. New Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved November 14, 2012.
  3. ^ "「J Sports Crown」 ～無差別級6人タッグトーナメント～". New Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved July 3, 2013.
  4. ^ Gutierrez, Ana (October 25, 2012). "Tama Tonga, Yo Soy". Fuego en el Ring (in Spanish). Retrieved November 5, 2012.
  5. ^ a b "【IA16】"渦中の男"タマ・トンガにインタビュー！「俺にとって最大のチャンス！ Bullet Clubの"穴"は俺たちが埋めるしかない！」ウワサの"弟"タンガ・ロアとは？". New Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). March 26, 2016. Retrieved March 26, 2016.
  6. ^ "Back and a large update". Strong Style Spirit. May 12, 2010. Retrieved November 5, 2012.
  7. ^ "(Results) New Japan, 6/5/10". Strong Style Spirit. June 5, 2010. Retrieved June 6, 2010.
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  11. ^ "(Results) New Japan 6/2/10". Strong Style Spirit. June 2, 2010. Retrieved June 2, 2010.
  12. ^ "(Results) New Japan 6/1/10". Strong Style Spirit. June 1, 2010. Retrieved June 1, 2010.
  13. ^ "(Results) New Japan 6/11/10". Strong Style Spirit. June 1, 2010. Retrieved June 11, 2010.
  14. ^ "(Results) New Japan, 10/31/10". Strong Style Spirit. October 31, 2010. Retrieved October 31, 2010.
  15. ^ "(Results) New Japan, 10/22/10". Strong Style Spirit. October 22, 2010. Retrieved October 22, 2010.
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  17. ^ "(Results) New Japan, 10/30/10". Strong Style Spirit. October 30, 2010. Retrieved October 30, 2010.
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  19. ^ "(Results) New Japan, 10/23/11". Strong Style Spirit. October 23, 2011. Retrieved October 23, 2011.
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  21. ^ "Noticias: TAMA TONGA, ¡ UN IMPONENTE SAMOANO LLEGA A NUESTRO PAÍS!" (in Spanish). Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre. Archived from the original on November 5, 2012. Retrieved November 5, 2012.
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  23. ^ a b "MARTES 13 DE NOVIEMBRE DEL 2012" (in Spanish). Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre. November 13, 2012. Archived from the original on November 14, 2012. Retrieved November 14, 2012.
  24. ^ "あのタマ・トンガがメヒコで初栄冠!! テリブレとCMLL世界タッグ選手権を奪取!!". New Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). November 14, 2012. Retrieved November 14, 2012.
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  34. ^ Mexicool, Rey (October 18, 2013). ""Rush y La Máscara son decretados Campeones Mundiales de Parejas del CMLL": @CMLL_OFICIAL". SuperLuchas (in Spanish). Retrieved October 19, 2013.
  35. ^ "『World Tag League 2014』出場チーム＆公式戦が決定！ 棚橋はヨシタツとタッグ結成！ 桜庭、AJ、柴田、ROH、NWAも参戦!". New Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). November 11, 2014. Retrieved December 5, 2014.
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