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In an alternative universe somewhere, there was no Hulk Hogan as the flagship babyface hero of the World Wrestling Federation. Instead, Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka with a chiseled physique, insane charisma and his high flying Superfly Splash, was the center-piece attraction of the company. It seems odd looking back, but there was a time period where Snuka was probably the most popular wrestler in the promotion with a marquee maneuver that transcended what wrestling was, setting the bar at the time for high flying moves.
Born James Reiher (he would later legally change his name to Snuka) in the Fiji Islands, before living on the Gilbert Islands and eventually Hawaii, Snuka became a bodybuilder and competed, winning Mr. Hawaiian Island. He befriended a number of pro wrestlers, who advised him to use his physique and look to make money and became trained by Frankie Laine. Snuka credited him with teaching Snuka everything about pro wrestling.
Laine, who would come to Hawaii to wrestle, got Snuka booked in Portland and from there, Snuka began working a number of territories, initially as a heel. He went from Portland to Mid-Atlantic (including a great tag team with Paul Orndorff and stand out matches with Ricky Steamboat) to New Japan and All Japan (where he had an awesome team with the late Bruiser Brody), but it was within the World Wrestling Federation that Snuka ended up making his legend.
Initially working as a savage monster heel managed by Lou Albano, Snuka worked a main event feud against then-WWF champion Bob Backlund, culminating with a steel cage match, always the sign of a blow off of a feud in the territory at that time. Snuka went to the top and leapt off with his Superfly Splash (a move he claimed dated back to his days diving off cliffs growing up on the Islands), but missed when Backlund moved. For the time period, it was one of the riskiest moves imaginable.
Years later, after turning babyface in an angle where Buddy Rogers revealed that Lou Albano was ripping Snuka off, Snuka would repeat the move, only this time coming off the top of the cage and connecting on Don Muraco after losing a cage match and a chance at the belt after he slapped Muraco into the door and Muraco, in spectacular fashion, crashed out and landed on the floor, winning the bout. Flashbulbs went off on cameras and NYC exploded in jubilation.
Snuka already had the look, the physique, the colorful Hawaiian outfits, the leopard print tights and headbands, the "I Love You" hand signal and his freeflowing, sometimes insane, always intense talking style. The Superfly Splash off the top of the cage was the final piece of the puzzle that would have taken his insane popularity into the stratosphere and made him a legend.
The splash was the stuff of legend and brought down the house. Indeed, the moment ended up inspiring a generation of future pro wrestlers who were in attendance that night, including Mick Foley (who famously hitchhiked to the show without his parent's knowledge only to end up on camera at ringside), Tommy Dreamer, Bubba Ray Dudley and Little Guido. From that moment on, in that time period, Snuka was a made man in the eyes of the fans, especially since the moment aired on the MSG Network and would later be seen over and over by fans renting Coliseum Home Videos.
It might have been the crowning achievement of what was to come for Snuka as the kingpin of WWF, but instead, Hulk Hogan would be that kingpin and by the first Wrestlemania, Snuka, who was THE babyface in the eyes of the fans, was relegated to working the corner for Hogan and Mr. T as they battled Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff. While Roddy Piper's own legend in the WWF would become established with the violent act of cracking Snuka in the head with a coconut on Piper's Pit, sparking an incredibly intense feud, Snuka's push had diminished by Wrestlemania. Snuka would be gone for WWF for years after that, returning to a different landscape in 1989.
Snuka worked for the AWA and the independents for many years before returning to WWF, where he was brought back with great fanfare but was never given a sustained push. He was one of a cast of characters, but he was never the top hero again. The most notable achievement of that run was being the first man to fall to The Undertaker at Wrestlemania VII, setting the stage for the legendary Wrestlemania streak that would run for decades. Snuka would eventually leave the WWF and while he would make cameos and appearances and be inducted into the WWF Hall of Fame in 1996 (not to mention becoming the first Hall of Famer to wrestle for the company after being inducted), Snuka would never again be that centerpiece champion that he dreamed of becoming.
But, as noted, it could have been Snuka.
Snuka certainly has publicly stated that he was to be champion, but when Vince McMahon Sr. became ill and passed away, his son changed plans and instead went with Hulk Hogan as the centerpiece of the big national push. Bob Backlund, in his autobiography, noted that Vince McMahon Sr. had approached him for feedback on the idea of Snuka getting the belt but Backlund had been negative to the idea, specifically because of how Snuka carried himself outside the ring and stories of Snuka's drug use during that time period. Backlund noted in Snuka's own autobiography that he refused to even let Snuka into his car for fear of what contraband Snuka could have on the road with him.
The controversial death of Snuka's then-girlfriend Nancy Argentino in 1983 also obviously prevented that push. As has been oft-told in recent years, Argentino had been on the road traveling with Snuka, who she was dating after they were introduced in New York. They were in Allentown for a WWF TV taping at the Allentown Fairgrounds. She never left Allentown alive.
Snuka's stories about her passing in May 1983 changed over the years. In 1983, Snuka claimed there was horseplay that led to Argentino getting hurt and he wasn't aware of the seriousness of the situation until he called for medical help after working the WWF TV taping, when he returned to his hotel room, stating that that he found Argentino gasping for air and oozing yellow fluid from her nose and mouth.
In his 2012 autobiography Superfly, however, Snuka claimed that the two stopped for Argentino to go to bathroom on the side of a road when she slipped and hit her head on a rock. Snuka stated that he put her to bed, checked on her after wrestling for WWF, returned for another set of tapings and when he came back to the hotel after WWF had completed TV, realized the seriousness of the situation and called for an ambulance.
Argentino died on 5/11/83 with her autopsy stating it was due to traumatic brain injures. The forensic pathologist who examined her suggested that the case be invested as a homicide but somehow no one was ever charged and that report was somehow lost somewhere along the way for 30 years until The Allentown Morning Call unearthed it over the course of their reporting on the 30th anniversary of Argentino's mysterious death. The medical examiner's report at the time stated Argentino's injuries were consistent with being hit with a “stationary object." Argentino also had a number of cuts and bruises which to the examiner suggested domestic abuse. There had also been an incident in New York State several weeks before where police were called due to a situation between Snuka and Argentino in a hotel that led to police with dogs being called on Snuka.
But again, somehow, the case disappeared and Snuka was never charged. Exactly how that happened and how the case went cold has never been explained and possibly never will, although stories of Vince McMahon meeting with police have led to a lot of conspiracy theories over the years. No matter why the investigation stalled, with Argentino's passing, any chance of Snuka being the flag bearer for the World Wrestling Federation disappeared forever. No way was that chance going to be taken.
Snuka, after the case remained cold for decades, was charged in 2015 with involuntary manslaughter and third-degree murder. As noted, the "lost" autopsy report from the medical examiner at the time was discovered by The Allentown Morning Call as they covered the 30th anniversary of Argentino's death. A new grand jury was convened thanks to the media attention.
Snuka was later charged with third-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter but just weeks before his passing the charges were dropped after the presiding Judge, Kelly Banach, ruled that Snuka was mentally incompetent to stand trial, following Snuka taking the stand himself twice over the course of mental competency hearings.
Snuka was questioned by Banach during those proceedings about his health. During the questioning, Snuka was not aware it was an Election year at the time, nor could he name politicians or sports personalities, although he admitted he regularly watched the news. Snuka stated he did not know who would sit in the Jurors' box during a trial, responding it would be Judges and referred to Judge Banach as "hon" and "sister." Banach noted at the time she did not believe Snuka was "smart enough" to be faking his condition.
In the end, Snuka's health issues prevented him from ever standing trial. During a hearing in December 2016, it was stated that Snuka had been diagnosed to have terminal stomach cancer and was not expected to live past the next six months, based on a diagnosis from a hospice doctor. During the hearing last month, Snuka's attorney noted that Snuka had been dealing with numerous infections and was finally hospitalized because of "hysterical and delusions" including believing he was late for a match and needed to leave, due to his infections.
In the many years between Snuka's WWF exit and the day he was indicted in Allentown, PA, he was constantly on the road, a regular attraction on independent shows great and small, providing some legitimacy to promotions and a name that would draw. He was consistently known for being kind and sweet to everyone in the locker room, a stark difference from the craziness and controversy that marked the same time period as his stardom in the 1980s where Snuka ran as wild as any of the other outlaws in the wild, wild west that pro wrestling in the 1980s. In his autobiography, Snuka acknowledged problems with drinking and how he would get belligerent and mean and apologized to anyone he ever treated poorly.
WWE announced they had suspended Snuka from his Legends deal when he was indicted on the charges. He was also removed from his listing in the Hall of Fame section on the WWE website, but was still listed as a member of the Hall in the Hall of Fame section of the Wrestlemania 33 program. At the time of his passing, Snuka had not yet been returned to the WWE Hall of Fame listing online but undoubtedly will be celebrated for his contributions to professional wrestling in the days to come.
In those days to come, the Superfly Splash and the fiery, fun character that Snuka portrayed will also be remembered as well and that legend will be what becomes entrenched in the minds and hearts of fans, but Snuka's life and passing also tell the tale of the greatness that was in his grasp and lost due to the tragedy, due to excess, leading to a family being heartbroken and Snuka forever chasing, but never returning to, that perfect moment where he was about to leap off the cage on Don Muraco.
Still, to countless fans, Snuka was a bookmark in their wrestling fandom. He was a larger than life colorful superhero who came to life and flew across the ring before their eyes. That nostalgia will only grow in the days and weeks to come, creating an interesting duality of Snuka the superhero vs. the tragedy that surrounded Snuka the man. Life is complicated and the conflicting feelings that arise with Snuka's passing will certainly be as well.
Jimmy Snuka was 73 years old.
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