Wrestlepedia (talk | contribs) No edit summary Tag: sourceedit |
Wrestlepedia (talk | contribs) No edit summary Tag: sourceedit |
||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
| − | [[File:Jimmy_Snuka.png|thumb]]James Reiher Snuka |
+ | [[File:Jimmy_Snuka.png|thumb]]James Reiher Snuka (born James Wiley Smith; May 18, 1943 – January 15, 2017) better known by the ring name Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka, was a Fijian professional wrestler and actor. |
| − | Snuka wrestled for several promotions from the 1970s to |
+ | Snuka wrestled for several promotions from the 1970s to 2010s. He was best known for his time in the [[World Wrestling Federation]] (WWF, now WWE) in the early to mid-1980s and was credited with introducing the high-flying style of wrestling to the WWF. He was inducted into the [[WWE Hall of Fame|WWF Hall of Fame]] in 1996. Snuka was the first [[WWE WrestleMania]] opponent of [[The Undertaker]] (at the [[WWE WrestleMania 7|seventh annual event]]), this being the first match in The Undertaker's undefeated WrestleMania streak. Snuka was the inaugural ECW Heavyweight Champion (a title he held twice) in [[Eastern Championship Wrestling]] (later [[Extreme Championship Wrestling]]). His children, Jimmy Reiher, Jr. and [[Tamina|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. |
+ | 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, who died from injuries a coroner described as consistent with domestic violence. In the decades before the criminal charges, Argentino's suspected homicide was a cold case in which Snuka was the only suspect. Snuka pleaded not guilty, but was ultimately found unfit to stand trial in June 2016 due to being diagnosed with dementia. His health had further declined, and in December 2016 his legal representative announced he had 6 months left to live due to his terminal illness. The charges were dismissed on January 3, 2017, when Snuka was deemed unfit to stand trial. He died twelve days later. |
* [[Catch Wrestling Association]] British Commonwealth Championship |
* [[Catch Wrestling Association]] British Commonwealth Championship |
||
Revision as of 00:27, 16 January 2017
James Reiher Snuka (born James Wiley Smith; May 18, 1943 – January 15, 2017) better known by the ring name Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka, was a Fijian professional wrestler and actor.
Snuka wrestled for several promotions from the 1970s to 2010s. He was best known for his time in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) in the early to mid-1980s and was 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 WWE WrestleMania opponent of The Undertaker (at the seventh annual event), this being the first match in The Undertaker's undefeated WrestleMania streak. Snuka was the inaugural ECW Heavyweight Champion (a title he held twice) in Eastern Championship Wrestling (later Extreme Championship Wrestling). 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, who died from injuries a coroner described as consistent with domestic violence. In the decades before the criminal charges, Argentino's suspected homicide was a cold case in which Snuka was the only suspect. Snuka pleaded not guilty, but was ultimately found unfit to stand trial in June 2016 due to being diagnosed with dementia. His health had further declined, and in December 2016 his legal representative announced he had 6 months left to live due to his terminal illness. The charges were dismissed on January 3, 2017, when Snuka was deemed unfit to stand trial. He died twelve days later.
- Catch Wrestling Association British Commonwealth Championship
- Continental Wrestling Association International Tag Team Championship
- East Coast Pro Wrestling Heavyweight Championship
- NWA/ECW Heavyweight Championship
- NWA ECW Television Championship
- NWA National Tag Team Championship
- International Wrestling Superstars United States Championship
- NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Mid-Atlantic version)
- NWA World Tag Team Championship (Mid-Atlantic version)
- National Championship Wrestling Tag Team Championship
- National Wrestling Federation Heavyweight Championship
- National Wrestling League Heavyweight Championship
- Northeast Wrestling Heavyweight Championship
- NWA Canadian Tag Team Championship (Vancouver version)
- NWATexas Heavyweight Championship
- NWA Texas Tag Team Championship
- NWA Tri-State Wrestling Heavyweight Championship
- NWA West Viriginia/Ohio Heavyweight Championship
- NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Championship
- NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Championship
- Universal Superstars of America Heavyweight Championship
- USA Pro Wrestling New York Heavyweight Championship
- World Wide Wrestling Alliance Heavyweight Championship
- World Wide Wrestling Alliance Intercontinental Championship