Hikuleo

Hikuleo in October 2022

###

Kissimmee, Florida, United States

**Taula Fifita** (born **Taula Koloamatangi** on February 7, 1991) is a Tongan-born American professional wrestler better known by the ring name **Hikuleo** (ヒクレオ *Hikureo*). He is trained by and currently works for New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW), where he is currently one-half of the IWGP Tag Team and Strong Openweight Tag Team Champions in his first reign, while also being a former one-time Strong Openweight Champion.

Fifita is part of a large wrestling family, as he is the brother of Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa and the one of the children of Haku. He also has a cousin Bad Luck Fale, that wrestles with them in NJPW.

## Early life

In 1991, he and his elder brother Alipate were adopted by their maternal aunt, Dorothy Koloamatangi, and her husband Tonga Fifita, who brought them to the United States. They took him back to Poinciana, Florida where he grew up with his biological cousins, who he later came to see as siblings, fellow professional wrestler Tevita and his older sister Vika.

When he was a kid he wanted to become a professional wrestler after seeing his father on TV. He was raised in Kissimmee, Florida, attending Osceola High School. He attended Florida's Webber International University, majoring in sports management and playing basketball as a center for the Webber International Warriors. He was named Webber International University's junior varsity men's basketball most valuable player for 2009-2010.

## Professional wrestling career

### New Japan Pro Wrestling (2016–present)

#### Bullet Club (2016–2022)

Taula Fifita began training with New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) in 2016 but before training in NJPW, he trained under Team 3D wrestling academy until his in-ring debut on November 12, 2016, under the name **HikuLe'o**, losing to fellow young lion Henare in a dark match.

On September 6, it was announced that he would join their brothers Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa in the Bullet Club, now under the ring name **Leo Tonga**, replacing Kenny Omega on an upcoming Road to Destruction tour due to Omega having suffered a knee injury. Leo made his in-ring debut with his brothers Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa in a losing effort against Juice Robinson, Hanson and Raymond Rowe, with Leo being pinned by Robinson. On October 18 Tonga got his first victory teaming with Bullet Club stablemate Yujiro Takahashi defeating Tetsuhiro Yagi and Ren Narita with Tonga pinning Narita for the win. On January 4, 2018, Fifita appeared at Wrestle Kingdom 12, the 27th annual January 4 Tokyo Dome Show (NJPW's annual flagship event), taking part in a New Japan Rumble. On January 9, it was announced that Leo was going to change his ring name to **Hikuleo**, representing him no longer being a young lion. In March 2018, Hikuleo sustained an injury to his anterior cruciate ligament. Hikuleo would be sidelined for nearly a year, during his rehabilitation period Hikuleo trained in the NJPW US dojo. Hikuleo made his return to the promotion on February 22, 2019 at Honor Rising: Japan, accompanying his brothers to ringside. Three days later, NJPW announced Hikuleo would be taking part of the New Japan Cup, making his return match against Mikey Nicholls on March 9. On March 9, he was defeated by Mikey Nicholls in his return match.

On July 21, 2021 in the second night of AEW's Fyter Fest, Hikuleo challenged Lance Archer for his IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship with the match being made oficial for All Elite Wrestling's Dynamite television special Fight For the Fallen. On July 28, at Fight For the Fallen Hikuleo unsuccesfully challenged Archer for the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship. On August 13, Hikuleo defeated Fred Yehi. After the match, Hikuleo demanded to face an opponent at Resurgence leading Juice Robinson to answer the challenge. On August 14, Hikuleo was defeated by Robinson.

#### Feud with Jay White and singles push (2022–present)

On March 20, 2022 at Strong Style Evolved, Hikuelo was invited to stay in Bullet Club by stable's leader Jay White, after White kicked out his brothers the Guerrillas of Destiny (Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa) out of the stable. Hikuleo proclaimed that he was still part of the stable, but did not want to be associated with White, leading him to a match between them at Mutiny. At Mutiny, Hikuleo was defeated by White, and as such he remained part of the Bullet Club. On September 25, Hikuleo turned on White and decided to align himself with his brothers Tonga, Loa and Jado, leaving Bullet Club to join the Guerrillas of Destiny, before challenging Karl Anderson to a title match for the NEVER Openweight Championship. However, Anderson refused to defend the title against him, leading their match to be postponed. On November 5 at Battle Autumn, after defeating Anderson's Bullet Club stablemate Yujiro Takahashi in just 30 seconds, Hikuleo warned him that his time with the NEVER Openweight Championship was ending sooner. On December 14, Hikuleo unsucessfully challenged Karl Anderson for the NEVER Openweight Championship. January 5, 2023's *New Year Dash!*, featured the escalation of a rivalry between Hikuleo and Jay White. Following a six-man tag team match, White blamed Hikuleo for losing the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship, challenged him to a Loser Leaves Japan match, which he accepted. On February 11 at The New Beginning in Osaka, where Hikuleo defeated White, forcing him to leave Japan.

Shortly after, he began feuding with White's Bullet Club stablemate KENTA, due to being the only member of the stable holding a title. This led him to challenge KENTA to title match for the Strong Openweight Championship, following his title defense against Eddie Edwards at Capital Collision on April 15. This led to a title match on May 3 at Wrestling Dontaku, where Hikuleo defeated KENTA to become the new champion. On May 21, at Resurgence, Hikuleo lost the title back to KENTA. From July 15 to August 5, Hikuleo was granted entry into the 2023 G1 Climax, his first G1 Climax tournament. On August 5, he finished the tournament with a record of four wins and three losses, advancing to the quarterfinals. In the quarterfinals, on August 10, Hikuleo was eliminated from the tournament by eventual winner Tetsuya Naito. Following the tournament, on August 12, Hikuleo, Tama Tonga and El Phantasmo were confronted by David Finlay and the Bullet Club War Dogs (Alex Coughlin and Gabe Kidd), with Hikuleo and Phantasmo, who newly reunited after Phantasmo was expelled from Bullet Club, setting their sights on Coughlin and Kidd's Strong Openweight Tag Team Championships. On October 9 at Destruction in Ryogoku, Hikuleo and Phantasmo defeated Coughlin and Kidd to become the new champions and the first wrestler to hold the Strong Openweight and Strong Openweight Tag Team Championships. From November 25 until December 6, Hikuleo and Phantasmo took part in the 2023 World Tag League, where they won their block with a record of five wins and two losses, advancing to the semifinals of the tournament. On December 8, Hikuleo and Phantasmo defeated Mikey Nicholls and Shane Haste in the semifinals and then were defeated by Hirooki Goto and Yoshi-Hashi, on December 10 in the finals of the World Tag League. Following the match, Bishamon challenged Hikuleo and Phantasmo to a match, for both IWGP and the Strong Openweight Tag Team Championships in a Winner Takes All" match. On January 4, 2024 at Wrestle Kingdom 18, Hikuleo and Phantasmo defeated Bishamon in a Winner takes all match to win the IWGP Tag Team Championship, where their Strong Openweight Tag Team Championship was also on the line.

## Personal life

A second generation professional wrestler, Fifita is the nephew and adopted son of professional wrestler Tonga Fifita and Dorothy Koloamatangi. He has a brother, Alipate, and is the cousin and adopted brother of Tevita and Vika. He is also the adopted cousin of Fale Simitaitoko.

## In wrestling

* **Finishing moves**
	+ Chokeslam, sometimes while applying a two-handed choke lift
	+ *T-Bomb/Godsend* (Sitout chokebomb)
	+ *Tongan Driller* (Sitout Death Valley driver)
	+ *Tongan Driver* (High-angle Samoan driver)
	+ Vertical suplex
* **Signature moves**
	+ Body slam
	+ Choke lift dropped into a reverse STO
	+ Forearm smash
	+ Knife-edged chop
	+ Running lariat into a conered opponent
	+ Running big boot
* **Nicknames**
	+ **"Young Gun"**
* **Entrance themes**
	+ **"**The Underboss**"** by Yonosuke Kitamura (used while teaming with Bad Luck Fale)
	+ "Guerrilas of Destiny" by Yonosuke Kitamura (used while teaming with Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa)
	+ **"G.O.D (Firing Squad)"** by No Name Tim and Kashis Keyz (used while teaming with Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa and formerly in singles competition)
	+ "Young Gunner" by No Name Tim feat. Dev McCray
	+ "Shot'Em" by [Q]Brick (used while a part of Bullet Club)
	+ **"Reborn"** by No Name Tim

## Championships and accomplishments

* **New Japan Pro-Wrestling**
	+ IWGP Tag Team Championship (1 time, current) – with El Phantasmo
	+ Strong Openweight Championship (1 time)
	+ Strong Openweight Tag Team Championship (1 time, current) – with El Phantasmo

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Taula Koloamatangi - 2010-11 Men's Basketball . *WebberAthletics.com*. Webber International University. Retrieved on 2018-01-05.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Taula Koloamatangi - 2012-13 Men's Basketball . *WebberAthletics.com*. Webber International University. Retrieved on 2018-01-05.
3. ↑ Tama Tonga.  *Episode 3: Tanga Loa (part 1)* audioboom.com *MLW Radio Network*. (2 July 2016).
4. ↑ Taula Koloamatangi . *ESPN.com*. ESPN. Retrieved on 2018-01-05.
5. ↑ NJPW Charity Pro-Wrestling "On The Mat" .
6. ↑ CONGRATS to @Team3DAcademy graduate HikuLe'o on beginning his career with @njpw1972. VERY PROUD of him and his brothers!#younglion  (2017-01-06).
7. ↑ ja:ケニー・オメガ選手欠場により、タマ＆タンガの“末の弟”、レオ・トンガ選手が新日本マットに緊急参戦!! (in Japanese). *New Japan Pro-Wrestling* (2017-09-06). Archived from the original on 2017-09-06. Retrieved on 2017-09-06.
8. ↑ Radican, Sean 2017-09-06. NJPW announces Omega to miss several dates with injury, latest MLW One Shot w/Ricochet and Strickland (w/Radican's analysis) . *Pro Wrestling Torch*. Retrieved on 2017-09-06.
9. ↑ Replacing an injured Kenny Omega, G.O.D.’s “Big” little bro. Leo Tonga is looking to make an impact in the New Japan ring! . Retrieved on 2017-09-06.
10. ↑ Ethan Renner 2018-01-03. NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 12 live results: Okada-Naito, Omega-Jericho . *Wrestling Observer Newsletter*. Retrieved on 2018-01-05.
11. ↑ Robert McCauley 2018-01-27. NJPW 'The New Beginning in Sapporo' 1.28.18 preview & predictions . *FightBoothPW.com*. Retrieved on 2018-02-03.
12. ↑ John Powell 2018-01-28. Bullet Club implodes at New Beginning . *Canoe.com*. Retrieved on 2018-02-04.
13. ↑ Bryan Rose 2018-03-08. Kitamura, Hikuleo out of New Japan Cup tour due to injuries . *Wrestling Observer Newsletter*. Retrieved on 2018-03-11.
14. ↑ Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; no text was provided for refs named `audioBoom`
15. ↑ *ja:【3月1日（水）発売！】エルガン、オスプレイ、Sanada、高橋ヒロムの曲も収録!! 入場テーマ曲集「NJPWグレイテストミュージック V」が登場!!* (in Japanese). *New Japan Pro-Wrestling* (2017-01-30). Retrieved on 2017-01-30.
16. ↑ [Q]Brick 2014-05-22. "Shot'Em" Bullet Club 2nd Theme . SoundCloud. Retrieved on 2014-11-10.