After a successful stint as a bodybuilder, he started working as a professional wrestler in the 1970s and made his WWE debut in 1982, helping the organization on its skyrocket rise in popularity with his high-flying antics. Snuka, whose real name was James Reiher, was born in Fiji, grew up in Hawaii, and also lived in Camden County, New Jersey. "His dive off the top of the steel cage onto Don Muraco at Madison Square Garden as hundreds of flash bulbs went off will forever live as one of the most memorable moments in WWE history," reads his official WWE obituary.
His signature move, the Superfly Splash (seen at YouTube) is now so common in wrestling matches that you're probably surprised to find out that someone actually had to invent it. PHILADELPHIA - Former pro wrestler Jimmy Superfly Snuka, who earlier this month was found not competent to stand trial in the 1983 death of his girlfriend. The company, along with others in the pro wrestling community, reacted to his death on Twitter.WWE Hall of Famer Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka was known in the pro wrestling world for popularizing the airborne style used by so many other wrestlers of subsequent generations. From a legendary leap off a steel cage at Madison Square Garden, to unforgettable rivalries with 'Rowdy' Roddy Piper. Regarded by many as the pioneer of high-flying offense, there is no doubt Snuka took sports-entertainment to new heights. Snuka had said she died in a fall, although his version has changed over the years in various retellings.Īfter the charges were initially filed, WWE suspended Snuka’s legends contract and removed his page from the Hall of Fame portion of its website. Celebrate 'The Superfly,' Jimmy Snuka, with this WWE Network collection commemorating his in-ring career. Argentino’s body was found in a hotel room in Whitehall Township, Pa., and the coroner determined she had a skull fracture. Snuka was charged with third-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter. The judge ruled in June that Snuka was not competent to stand trial because of dementia and other health issues, but the charges remained in place until they were dismissed this month. At the time, his wife told the judge that the family was struggling to keep him from leaving home during episodes of psychosis because he thinks he is late for a match. Snuka was moved to hospice care in Florida last fall and given six months to live, his lawyer Robert Kirwan II told the court in December in a hearing to re-evaluate whether Snuka was competent to stand trial, according to the Allentown Morning Call. His last WrestleMania match was in a legends match with Ricky Steamboat and Piper against Chris Jericho at Wrestlemania 25. His WrestleMania history also includes being the first opponent of The Undertaker, who would go on to win 21 consecutive matches at the company's biggest show of the year. Snuka would be in the corner of Hulk Hogan and Mister T for their tag team match against Piper and Paul Orndorff at the original 1985 WrestleMania. Snuka also is noted for his 1984 feud with Rowdy Roddy Piper, which included Piper making fun of Snuka’s South Pacific heritage by hitting him over the head with a coconut. Snuka’s leap off the top of the steel cage onto Muraco in October 1983 at Madison Square Garden is among the most iconic images in pro wrestling history. Snuka most famously feuded with Magnificent Muraco. Snuka, who was from the Fiji Islands, had three stints with World Wrestling Federation/World Wrestling Entertainment and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1996. The family did not release a cause of death, although Snuka had extensive surgery after being diagnosed with stomach cancer in 2015 and has been in declining health. His daughter, who wrestles under the name Tamina Snuka, posted on Instagram with the hashtag #BestDad to announce Snuka’s death. Legendary professional wrestler and WWE Hall of Famer Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka, who thrilled fans for decades with his splash from the top rope as one of the original high flyers, died Sunday.