Zoneboy
12-04-2009, 09:14 PM
Eddie Fatu, best known as Umaga from his days in WWE, died this evening in a Houston hospital following a heart attack. He was 36.
Fatu was a part of the famed wrestling Samoans, whose lineage includes brothers Sam (better known as Tama of The Islanders) and Solofa Jr. (Rikishi Fatu), cousin Matt Anoa'i, whom Fatu tagged with in WWE as "Three Minute Warning" (Fatu was known as Jamal at the time). His uncles were the Wild Samoans -- Afa and Sika, who trained him in the sport.
Fatu got his start in the then WWF in a briefly-run angle involving Rikishi (then known solely as Fatu) along with Matt, but the two soon were sent to the company's developmental system. The two also took time to hone their skills in Japan's FMW promotion.
In the early 2000s, the duo, perhaps known best as The Island Boyz during their developmental time, were brought into WWE as Three Minute Warning. Acting as enforcers for Eric Bischoff along with Rico (Rico Constantino), Fatu and Anoa'i were presented as fearsome individuals who would attack superstars when "three minutes" were referenced in promos. The duo lasted approximately one year in WWE before Fatu was released amid rumous of a bar fight.
After being dismissed from WWE, Fatu soon resurfaced under the name Ekmo. He would spend time in the upstart TNA Wrestling and overseas with All-Japan Pro Wrestling. It wouldn't be long, however, before he would be brought back to WWE, this time as the Samoan Bulldozer, Umaga.
http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/2009/12/04/12042796.html
Fatu was a part of the famed wrestling Samoans, whose lineage includes brothers Sam (better known as Tama of The Islanders) and Solofa Jr. (Rikishi Fatu), cousin Matt Anoa'i, whom Fatu tagged with in WWE as "Three Minute Warning" (Fatu was known as Jamal at the time). His uncles were the Wild Samoans -- Afa and Sika, who trained him in the sport.
Fatu got his start in the then WWF in a briefly-run angle involving Rikishi (then known solely as Fatu) along with Matt, but the two soon were sent to the company's developmental system. The two also took time to hone their skills in Japan's FMW promotion.
In the early 2000s, the duo, perhaps known best as The Island Boyz during their developmental time, were brought into WWE as Three Minute Warning. Acting as enforcers for Eric Bischoff along with Rico (Rico Constantino), Fatu and Anoa'i were presented as fearsome individuals who would attack superstars when "three minutes" were referenced in promos. The duo lasted approximately one year in WWE before Fatu was released amid rumous of a bar fight.
After being dismissed from WWE, Fatu soon resurfaced under the name Ekmo. He would spend time in the upstart TNA Wrestling and overseas with All-Japan Pro Wrestling. It wouldn't be long, however, before he would be brought back to WWE, this time as the Samoan Bulldozer, Umaga.
http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/2009/12/04/12042796.html