History Main / WildSamoan

* From New Zealand comes [[Wrestling/ManaThePolynesianWarrior Mana "The Polynesian Warrior"]], who is actually Maori, but was trained by the Trope Namers, teamed with Samu and Ekmo (Umaga) in Wrestling/{{MLW}}, and generally plays the trope straight.

* The Maori are portrayed this way in ''Series/DeadliestWarrior''.

* {{Subverted|Trope}} by the Samoano Brothers Samoano and Tonga of Lucha Liga Elite. They certainly act like Wild Samoans but they are in fact Mexicans wearing Polynesian war masks. The actual Pacific Islanders such as Tama Tonga tend to be less wild(which is saying something considering [[Wrestling/GuerrillasOfDestiny Tama Tonga]]'s [[ThisMeansWarPaint war paint]] extends to his [[BadassBeard beard]]).

* Wrestling/RomanReigns, a third generation wrestler of Samoan descent(He's Sika's youngest son), averts this, backstage at least. He's eloquent, a bit quiet and soft spoken during promos, but during a match or attack, he's every bit of the Screaming Warrior you expect him to be.

* Afa and Sika, the original [[Wrestling/TheWildSamoans Wild Samoans]] (incidentally, Afa is the patriarch of the Anoa'i WrestlingFamily, whose members make up most of the other examples)
** Just to give you an idea of how strong {{kayfabe}} was in the eighties. Hogan purchased a gun, and was traveling in New Jersey with the Wild Samoans (pre-Hulkamania) when he got pulled over by a state trooper. He went for his registration and the gun fell out of his glove box. He begged the Samoans to explain that he was unaware of NJ guns laws, but they just looked at each other and grunted (they both spoke perfect English) so as not to break kayfabe. They remained mute while being taken into custody with Hogan, because going to jail beats breaking character.
* Samu and Fatu, better known as The Samoan SWAT Team (WCW) and Wrestling/TheHeadshrinkers (WWF). Fatu would become far more famous as Wrestling/{{Rikishi}}. Samu would go to Wrestling/NewJapanProWrestling, where he would wrestle as ''Wild Samoan'

->''Years ago someone told Polynesian DNA that everyone was surrounded by sea monsters and it believed them. It made humans that were immune to head injuries, fast enough to run on the highway, and big enough to use the carpool lane. Putting two of them in the same ring is like telling your local tectonic plates to fuck themselves.''

* {{Subverted|Trope}} by the Samoano Brothers Samoano and Tonga of Lucha Liga Elite. They certainly act like Wild Samoans but they are in fact Mexicans wearing Polynesian war masks. The actual Pacific Islanders such as Tama Tonga tend to be less wild(which is saying something considering Tama Tonga's [[ThisMeansWarPaint war paint]] extends to his [[BadassBeard beard]].

Fortunately, this is on its way to becoming a DiscreditedTrope, with the broadening gimmicks for islander wrestlers such as Wrestling/SamoaJoe, the badass submission expert - Rosey, the erstwhile sidekick to wrestling {{Superhero}} The Hurricane - Wrestling/{{Rikishi}}, the hip-hop dancing sumo wrestler who rubs his gargantuan, thong-covered ass into his opponents' faces (...yes, you read that right) - Eevie, the [[KickChick kicking]] [[AnimalMotifs kiwi]] - Wrestling/RomanReigns, the cerebral technician who takes advantage of wolfpack tactics to overwhelm his foes - Jey Dewhurst, the DragQueen diva - and not least of all [[Wrestling/DwayneJohnson The Rock]] would count as well (his mother was Samoan, but his father was black). However, it does have a way of cropping back up from time to time.

* {{Subverted|Trope}} by the Samoano Brothers Samoano and Tonga of Lucha Liga Elite. They certainly act like Wild Samoans but they are in fact Mexicans wearing Polynesian war masks. The actual Pacific Islanders such as Tama Tonga tend to be less wild(which is saying something considering Tama Tonga's WarPaint extends to his [[BadassBeard beard]].

* [[Subverted|Trope]] by the Samoano Brothers Samoano and Tonga of Lucha Liga Elite. They certainly act like Wild Samoans but they are in fact Mexicans wearing Polynesian war masks. The actual Pacific Islanders such as Tama Tonga tend to be less wild(which is saying something considering Tama Tonga's WarPaint extends to his [[BadassBeard beard]].

* From New Zealand comes [[Wrestling/ManaThePolynesianWarrior Mana "The Polynesian Warrior"]], who is actually Maori, but was trained by the Trope Namers, teamed with Samu and Ekmo (Umaga) in MLW, and generally plays the trope straight.

Fortunately, this is on its way to becoming a DiscreditedTrope, with the broadening gimmicks for islander wrestlers such as Wrestling/SamoaJoe, the badass submission expert - Rosey, the erstwhile sidekick to wrestling {{Superhero}} The Hurricane - Wrestling/{{Rikishi}}, the hip-hop dancing sumo wrestler who rubs his gargantuan, thong-covered ass into his opponents' faces (...yes, you read that right) - Eevie the [[KickChick kicking]] [[AnimalMotifs kiwi]] - Wrestling/RomanReigns, the cerebral technician who takes advantage of wolfpack tactics to overwhelm his foes - Jey Dewhurst, the DragQueen diva - and not least of all [[Wrestling/DwayneJohnson The Rock]] would count as well (his mother was Samoan, but his father was black). However, it does have a way of cropping back up from time to time.

Fortunately, this is on its way to becoming a DiscreditedTrope, with the broadening gimmicks for islander wrestlers such as Wrestling/SamoaJoe, the badass submission expert - Rosey, the erstwhile sidekick to wrestling {{Superhero}} The Hurricane - Wrestling/{{Rikishi}}, the hip-hop dancing sumo wrestler who rubs his gargantuan, thong-covered ass into his opponents' faces (...yes, you read that right) - Wrestling/RomanReigns, the cerebral technician who takes advantage of wolfpack tactics to overwhelm his foes - Jey Dewhurst, the DragQueen diva - and not least of all [[Wrestling/DwayneJohnson The Rock]] would count as well (his mother was Samoan, but his father was black). However, it does have a way of cropping back up from time to time.

Fortunately, this is on its way to becoming a DiscreditedTrope, with the broadening gimmicks for islander wrestlers such as Wrestling/SamoaJoe, the badass submission expert - Rosey, the erstwhile sidekick to wrestling {{Superhero}} The Hurricane - Wrestling/{{Rikishi}}, the hip-hop dancing sumo wrestler who rubs his gargantuan, thong-covered ass into his opponents' faces (...yes, you read that right) - Wrestling/RomanReigns, the cerebral technician who takes advantage of wolfpack tactics to overwhelm his foes - Jey Dewhurst, the DragQueen diva - and not least of all Wrestling/TheRock would count as well (his mother was Samoan, but his father was black). However, it does have a way of cropping back up from time to time.

* Samu and Fatu, better known as The Samoan SWAT Team (WCW) and Wrestling/TheHeadshrinkers (WWF). Fatu would become far more famous as Wrestling/{{Rikishi}}. Samu would go to Wrestling/NewJapanProWrestling, where he would wrestle as ''Wild Samoan''.

* Haku had a {{tag team}} partner named Tama, who became known as the "Wild Samoan Savage" while wrestling in the Wrestling/{{N|ationalWrestlingAlliance}}WA. His real name is Sam Fatu, and is a member of the family.

* Samu and Fatu, better known as The Samoan SWAT Team (WCW) and the Headshrinkers (WWF). Fatu would become far more famous as Wrestling/{{Rikishi}}. Samu would go to Wrestling/NewJapanProWrestling, where he would wrestle as ''Wild Samoan''.

* Afa and Sika, the original Wild Samoans (incidentally, Afa is the patriarch of the Anoa'i WrestlingFamily, whose members make up most of the other examples)

Fortunately, this is on its way to becoming a DiscreditedTrope, with the broadening gimmicks for islander wrestlers such as Wrestling/SamoaJoe, the badass submission expert - Rosey, the erstwhile sidekick to wrestling {{Superhero}} The Hurricane - Wrestling/{{Rikishi}}, the hip-hop dancing sumo wrestler who rubs his gargantuan, thong-covered ass into his opponents' faces (...yes, you read that right) - Wrestling/RomanReigns, the cerebral technician who takes advantage of wolfpack tactics to overwhelm his foes - and not least of all Wrestling/TheRock would count as well (his mother was Samoan, but his father was black). However, it does have a way of cropping back up from time to time.

* Samu and Fatu, the Headshrinkers. Fatu would become far more famous as Rikishi. Samu would go to Wrestling/NewJapanProWrestling, where he would wrestle as ''Wild Samoan''.

* Despite hailing from the Dominican Republic, "King" Rasta Mon was ''VideoGame/SaturdayNightSlamMasters''' tribute to this trope.

* Wrestling/RomanReigns, a third generation wrestler of Samoan descent, averts this, backstage at least. He's eloquent, a bit quiet and soft spoken during promos, but during a match or attack, he's every bit of the Screaming Warrior you expect him to be.

* A disproportionate number of UsefulNotes/AmericanFootball players come from American Samoa. According to a ''Series/SixtyMinutes'' piece on the subject, it helps that they're taller on average than other Americans, [[ProudWarriorRaceGuy have a strong warrior-culture influence]], and spend a great part of their day from a young age in hard agricultural labor, as compared to the more sedate lifestyle in the US mainland.

** Just to give yo an idea of how strong {{kayfabe}} was in the eighties. Hogan purchased a gun, and was traveling in New Jersey with the Wild Samoans (pre-Hulkamania) when he got pulled over by a state trooper. He went for his registration and the gun fell out of his glove box. He begged the Samoans to explain that he was unaware of NJ guns laws, but they just looked at each other and grunted (they both spoke perfect English) so as not to break kayfabe. They remained mute while being taken into custody with Hogan, because going to jail beats breaking character.

You probably don't need to be told this (what with all the {{Foreign Wrestling Heel}}s running around), but ProfessionalWrestling isn't very culturally sensitive. Nowhere is this more evident than the Wild Samoan [[TheGimmick gimmick]] (or Tongan, or Fijian, or Marquesan, [[LongList or...]]). Basically, in wrestling world, if you come from a small South Pacific island, you talk in grunts, groans, and gibberish, you devour raw fish on the way to the ring (not ''prepared'' raw fish like sushi either, just plain, whole, raw fish)... and [[WrestlingMonster you destroy everything in your path in the most brutal manner possible]]. Oh, and your head is [[HardHead hard enough to break concrete]].

* The late Wrestling/{{Umaga}} (Samoan for "The End"), who was actually a subversion of this trope before he began to embody it. He portrayed Jamal of Three Minute Warning, basically a gangsta, during his WWE run at the turn of the century. He continued on as Jamal in Japan after getting released. Even as Umaga he was at least portrayed as being highly intelligent (despite being socially inept enough to gnaw on the intercontinental championship) and spoke fluently (albeit not in English).

Fortunately, this is on its way to becoming a DiscreditedTrope, with the broadening gimmicks for islander wrestlers (such as Wrestling/SamoaJoe, the badass submission expert - Rosey, the erstwhile sidekick to wrestling {{Superhero}} The Hurricane - Wrestling/{{Rikishi}}, the hip-hop dancing sumo wrestler who rubs his gargantuan, thong-covered ass into his opponents' faces (...yes, you read that right) - Wrestling/RomanReigns, the cerebral technician who takes advantage of wolfpack tactics to overwhelm his foes - and not least of all Wrestling/TheRock would count as well (his mother was Samoan, but his father was black). However, it does have a way of cropping back up from time to time.

** Averted by Troy Polamalu of the Pittsburgh Steelers. He is of Samoan descent (albeit born and raised in the US) and is every bit the warrior during the game. However, off the field, he is very soft-spoken, laid back and sweet-natured.
* Many top-class rugby players are Polynesian or Maori. While things are improving, there's still a tendency to overemphasise their strength and agression instead of, say, tactical genius or discipline (and vice-versa with white players).

Fortunately, this is on its way to becoming a DiscreditedTrope, with the broadening gimmicks for islander wrestlers (such as Wrestling/SamoaJoe, the badass submission expert - Rosey, the erstwhile sidekick to wrestling {{Superhero}} The Hurricane - Wrestling/{{Rikishi}}, the hip-hop dancing sumo wrestler who rubs his gargantuan, thong-covered ass into his opponents' faces (...yes, you read that right) - Wrestling/RomanReigns, the cerebral technician who takes advantage of wolfpack tactics to overwhelm his foes - and not least of all [[DwayneJohnson The Rock]] would count as well (his mother was Samoan, but his father was black). However, it does have a way of cropping back up from time to time.