Tama Tonga

Alipate "Pate" Fifita (September 26, 1982) is a Tongan professional wrestler currently working for the Japanese professional wrestling promotion New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW). He is the adopted son of professional wrestler Tonga Fifita, better known under the ring names Haku and Meng, the adopted brother Tanga Loa and the brother of professional wrestler Taula Fifita. He wrestles barefoot like his father and other famous islanders from Tonga and Samoa and uses the same type of "Island Savage" ring character that his father used as well. Fifita is under contract with NJPW, but has also worked with NJPW's partner Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL). He currently works under the name Tama Tonga, a name used by his father early in his career.
==Early life==
Alipate and his brother Taula were adopted by professional wrestler Tonga Fifita, better known as Haku, and raised along with Fifita's biological son Tevita and a daughter. Fifita spent six years in the United States Air Force, which taught him self-discipline that has helped him in his wrestling career. Once his Air Force career ended he was inspired by his father to become a professional wrestler.
==Professional wrestling career==
===Early career (2008-2010)===
Fifita began his professional wrestling career in 2008, working on the independent circuit after graduating from Bully Ray and Devon Team 3D Academy of Professional Wrestling and Sports Entertainment. He worked for World Xtreme Wrestling and even held the WXW Television Championship for seven days. He also worked in Puerto Rico for the World Wrestling Council, where he and Idol Stevens held the WWC World Tag Team Championship for 20 days. Early in his career he worked under various ring names such as Kava; King Tonga, Jr.; and Pate Fifita
===New Japan Pro Wrestling===
====Debut (2010–2012)====
Fifita began working for the Japanese wrestling promotion New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) in May, 2010 under the name Tama Tonga (A name also used by his father). His debut match came as part of the 2010 Super Junior Tag Tournament where he teamed up with Davey Richard, but lost in the first round to El Samurai and Koji Kanemoto. Tama Tonga was one of 16 wrestlers that competed in the 2010 Best of the Super Juniors tournament. He defeated Davey Richards and Nobuo Yoshihashi but lost to Fujita Hayato, Kenny Omega, Koji Kanemoto, Ryusuke Taguchi and Taiji Ishimori and ended up with just four points, second to last his group. He teamed up with Hirooki Goto to compete in the 2010 G1 Tag League tournament. The team earned four points for victories over King Fale and Super Strong Machine and the team of Togi Makabe and Tomoaki Honma. The two lost to the teams of Yuji Nagata and Wataru Inoue, Manabu Nakanishi and Strong Man and finally Masato Tanaka and Tomohiro Ishii, ending fourth in their group. He also entered the 2011 G1 Tag League tournament, this time teaming up with Strong Man. Tonga's success in the 2011 league was even less than his first league showing, winning only one match over the team of King Fale and Yuji Nagata but being defeated by the rest of the teams in his group. On January 4, 201,2 Tonga worked on NJPW's biggest show of the year as he appeared ina dark matcs before NJPW's Wrestle Kingdom VI show. The match saw Tama Tonga and Captain New Japan defeat Kyōsuke Mikami and Tomoaki Honma.
===Excursion to CMLL (2012)===
In September 2012 it was announced that Tama Tonga would visit Mexico and work for NJPW's Mexican partner, Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) for an extended trip to expose him to other styles of wrestling. His debut match for CMLL saw him participate in the 2012 version of CMLL's Leyenda de Azul ("Legend of the Blue") tournament. The match was a 16-man torneo cibernetico elimination match that saw Tonga eliminated when Atlantis and Shocker double-teamed him. Following the tournament, Tama Tonga has worked with a number of CMLL's top stars, including the Leyenda de Azul tournament winner Diamante Azul. On November 13, 2012, Tama Tonga and El Terrible won the CMLL World Tag Team Championship from Atlantis and Diamante Azul. Tonga next made it to the finals of the 2012 La Copa Junior Tournament, where, on December 14, he was defeated by La Sombra in the main event of CMLL's 2012 Sin Piedad ("No Mercy") show.
===Return to New Japan Pro Wrestling (2013–present)===
====Bullet Club (2013–2022)====
Tonga returned to NJPW in early 2013, just in time to compete on NJPW's January 4 Wrestle Kingdom 7 in Tokyo Dome where he teamed up with Captain New Japan and Wataru Inoue to defeat Jado, Tomohiro Ishii and Yoshi-Hashi when Tonga pinned Jado. On April 7, Tonga and El Terrible successfully defended the CMLL World Tag Team Championship against La Máscara and Valiente at New Japan's Invasion Attack event. On May 3 at Wrestling Dontaku 2013, Tonga formed a new villainous alliance named Bullet Club with Prince Devitt, Bad Luck Fale and Karl Anderson as the four attacked Hiroshi Tanahashi. On July 5, Tonga and El Terrible lost the CMLL World Tag Team Championship to Tanahashi and Jushin Liger. Tonga regained the title from Tanahashi and Liger on September 14 with new partner Rey Bucanero. Tonga returned to CMLL with Bucanero in early October. On October 18, Tonga and Bucanero were stripped of the CMLL World Tag Team Championship, when they were unable to defend the title against La Máscara and Rush due to Bucanero being sidelined with an injury. Tonga remained in CMLL until the end of the year.
==In wrestling==
*Finishing moves
**Dream Catcher (Twister) - 2017-2018
**Gun Stun (Jumping Ace Crusher)
**Ghost Face (Fireman Carry Flapjack)  - Early career
*Signature moves
**Headshrinker / Veleno (Jumping double underhook DDT) - Used a finisher until 2016
**Tongan Twist (Inverted facelock spun out into a DDT)
**Stinger Splash
**Powerslam
**Karate chops
**Topé con Hilo (Somersault topé through the second and top ropes)
**Tornillo (Corkscrew plancha)
*With Tanga Loa
**Double-team Finishing Moves
***Aided Super Powerbomb - Adopted from Gedo & Jado - 2018–present
***Magic Killer (Aided Snap Swinging Neckbreaker) - Adopted from Gallows & Anderson - 2016–present
***Guerilla Warfare (Aided Double Arm DDT)
***Nightfall (Belly-to-Back Suplex (Loa)/Neckbreaker (Tama) Combination)
*Nicknames
**"Bad Boy" - 2012-2019
**”Good Guy” - 2019
**”Good Bad Guy” - 2019–present
*Entrance themes
**"Wao!" by New Japan Pro Wrestling - 2010-2012
**"Last Chance Saloon" by Deviant and Naive Ted (used while a part of Bullet Club) - 2012-2014
**"Shot'Em" by [Q]Brick (used while a part of Bullet Club) - 2014–present
**"Spider Dance" by Yonosuke Kitamura - 2012-2016
**"Guerilla Tactics" (Used while teaming with Tanga Loa and singles action) - 2016-2019
**"GOD (Firing Squad)" by No Name Tim feat. Kashis Keyz - (2019–present)
*Tag teams and stables
**Guerrillas Of Destiny with Tanga Loa
**BULLET CLUB
==Championships and accomplishments==
*Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre
**CMLL World Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with El Terrible (1) and Rey Bucanero (1)
*New Japan Pro Wrestling
**IWGP Tag Team Championship (7 times) with Tanga Loa
**NEVER Openweight Championship (4 times)
**NEVER Openweight Six Man Tag Team Championship (4 times) (2) with Bad Luck Fale & Tanga Loa, (1) with Bad Luck Fale & Yujiro Takahashi and (1) with Tanga Loa & Taiji Ishimori
*Pro Wrestling Illustrated
**PWI ranked him #298 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2013
*Ring of Honor
**ROH World Tag Team Championship (1 time) with Tanga Loa
*World Wrestling Council
**WWC World Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Idol Stevens
*WrestleCircus
**WC Big Top Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Tanga Loa
*World Xtreme Wrestling
**WXW Television Championship (1 time)
==External links==
* Profile
* Profile
Category:1982 births
Category:Tongan wrestlers
Category:2008 debuts
Category:Living people
Category:New Japan Pro Wrestling current roster
Category:World Xtreme Wrestling alumni
Category:Southern Championship Wrestling Florida alumni
Category:Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre alumni
Category:All Japan Pro Wrestling alumni
Category:World Wrestling Council alumni
Category:Southern Fried Championship Wrestling alumni
Category:America's Most Liked Wrestling alumni
Category:Peachstate Wrestling Alliance alumni
Category:Game Changer Wrestling alumni
Category:WrestleMerica alumni
Category:IWGP Tag Team Champions
Category:NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Champions
Category:Male wrestlers
Category:Former military
Category:ROH World Tag Team Champions
Category:Total Nonstop Action Wrestling alumni
Category:NEVER Openweight Champions