Tonga in March 2016
|
|
Birth name | Alipate Fifita |
---|---|
Born |
Nukuʻalofa, Tonga |
October 15, 1982
Professional wrestling career | |
Ring name(s) | Kava King Tonga, Jr. Pate Fifita Tama Tonga Tonga Strong Machine |
Billed height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) |
Billed weight | 95 kg (209 lb) |
Trained by |
Mark LoMonaco Devon Hughes Ricky Santana Tonga Fifita |
Debut | 2008 |
Alipate "Pate" Fifita (born October 15, 1982) is a Tongan professional wrestler better known by the ring name Tama Tonga. He is currently working for the Japanese professional wrestling promotion New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW), where he is a former two-time IWGP Tag Team Champion and a one-time NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Champion. He is the son of professional wrestler Tonga Fifita and brother of Taula and Tevita Fifita. Fifita is under contract with NJPW, but has also worked with NJPW's partner Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) where he has held the CMLL World Tag Team Championship 2 times.
Alipate and his brother Taula were adopted by professional wrestler Tonga Fifita, better known as Haku, and raised along 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.
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. Alipate and his adoptive brother Tevita took part in a WWE tryout together, which led to Tevita being signed to a contract.