Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Pro Wrestlers That MMA Missed Out On: Tonga Fifita

This is a Tag Team (get it?) effort between Matt aka ThisRedEngine and I to educate the masses about old school Mixed Martial Artsts and Athletes that would have done well in MMA. I'll be focusing on Pro Wrestlers over the next month or two. This week the spotlight is on Tonga Uliuli Fifita, most notably known as "Haku" in the WWF and "Meng" in WCW. Numerous Pro Wrestlers and industry insiders have called him "The toughest man that they've ever met" due to his imposing demeanor and violent reputation.

It's hard to decipher the facts from the fiction when it comes to Fifita. He's like the Rickson Gracie of Pro Wrestling when it comes to brawls. I've both read and heard tales of his inhuman feats of brutality. They range from somewhat believable to being outright ridiculous.

Just a few of these include him lifting Brutus The Barber Beefcake 2 feet off of the floor while choking him over an in ring dispute, gouging Jesse Barr's eye out during a backstage brawl, yanking a mans teeth clean out of his mouth during an altercation at a bar, and biting a mans nose off. From those accounts, I'd say he's not to be fucked with. Of course I take these stories with a massive grain of salt, but rumors tend to have a bit of truth to them. And I'll vouch to him having an imposing presence, as I saw him before a WWF event when I was a kid. He was a scary ass dude.

Anyway, here are the facts....well let me not say facts because there is no concrete info on him. So, I'll muster up what I can about him and let you decide what you want to believe. Apparently he was sent to Japan to learn the art of Sumo (by the King of Tonga) as a teen but was forced to retire in his 20's due to some sort of dispute. Before retiring he would reach the rank of makushita. Shortly after this he entered into the world of Puroresu and would eventually make his way stateside with the WWF. And the rest is history as far as that aspect is concerned.

So why do I think he'd do well in MMA? I'll admit that he'd probably get eaten alive by todays crop of well rounded Mixed Martial Artists. But back in MMA's infant years when Vale Tudo was legal and UFC PPV events were little more than semi-controlled street fights, I think he'd have thrived. His size (6'2, 250-300lbs), strength, athleticism, training in Sumo, and reported aggression would have made him a handful for even the most skilled Martial Artist. And if there was one ethnic stereotype that full contact sports has proven true, it's that Polynesians are inhumanly durable. It doesn't matter if it's Rugby, Boxing, Kickboxing, or MMA. You can expect them to take an insane amount of damage without flinching and then try to short out your nervous system by trying to open your skull, with their own head.


These days Mr. Fifita is the Manager at a Toyota Car Spa in Florida. No longer is he the wild haired Tongan that struck fear in the hearts of his competitors and fans alike. But a mild mannered citizen that has made a good living for himself after his Pro Wrestling Career. Would he have made it big in MMA? Who knows. But I do know one thing. If I ever get my Car detailed at David Maus Toyota in Sanford, Florida. I won't be complaining if they do a bad job. Because I'm not trying to get my ass kicked by the manager.

View All Photos | King Haku

Photo credit goes to Myspace and Obsessed with Wrestling

8 comments:

  1. The Monster Meng reportedly benched well over 500lbs. This is in the 80's when supplements didn't really exist and training still wasn't fully understand. Anything over 300lbs at that time was exceptional.

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    1. Lol at supplements. And yeah I'm sure people had no idea how to work out in the 80's hahaha. You're an idiot.

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  2. Having meet him an talked with for many hours one night at a bar. I would say he is not what the media makes him out to be. Instead he is a very down to earth peaceful person.

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  3. I have heard he was, as the guy above said one of the nicest guys you could meet, but was as tough as they came . He was the last guy you wanted to piss off.

    None of the Wrestlers ever went to bars by them selves in case guys tried to jump them (team up on them). Haku didn't care he would go to bars by himself he would take on 6-10 guys by himself if he had to. He was bad to the bone.

    The Samoan High Chief Peter Maivia had the same reputation one of the nicest guys but incredibly tough and dangerous when messed with.

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  4. ya, people would call him racial slurs. That is why he bit the one guy. Short temper but hey why not pour boiling oil onto to. He got sued for like 2 million

    sam
    www.scrabblecheat.com

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  5. He is a really super nice guy unless you cross him or one of his friends back in his wrestling days. Several different wrestlers used to come in to this bar in westland michigan I used to go to all the time. Met him there & super nice guy. 5 guys started giving him a hard time one night. Outside in the parking lot they jumped him & slammed his head off a steel car door like 5 times & he just looked at them like it was nothing then proceeded to destroy all of them in a matter of seconds. It was fun to watch but extremely scary at the same time that a man his size & strength could move that fast.

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  6. Well I new him. Many years ago when I was five years old he took me to my first wrestling match which he fought in block arena in Honolulu Hawaii I became a true fan even tell this day I still remember crying thinking they killed him in that match when I was five I wish and searched for him for many years he is the kinda uncle u don't forget I'm 47 now but I always will remember him as long as I live even his wife Dorothy most beautiful woman I no if by chance he reads this and doesn't remember me may be he remembers my father who passed away about 14 years ago big Richard was his name. Thank you for letting me right this

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  7. Well I new him. Many years ago when I was five years old he took me to my first wrestling match which he fought in block arena in Honolulu Hawaii I became a true fan even tell this day I still remember crying thinking they killed him in that match when I was five I wish and searched for him for many years he is the kinda uncle u don't forget I'm 47 now but I always will remember him as long as I live even his wife Dorothy most beautiful woman I no if by chance he reads this and doesn't remember me may be he remembers my father who passed away about 14 years ago big Richard was his name. Thank you for letting me right this

    ReplyDelete