WWE Remembers: RIP Eddie Fatu 1973-2009

The world of Sports and Entertainment lost a great performer on December 4th 2009. Some may remember him as Jamal from 3-Minute Warning, but the rest remember his as the "Samoan Bulldozer," Umaga.

Source: Excerpt from Wikipedia

Eki "Eddie" Fatu (March 28, 1973 – December 4, 2009) was a Samoan-American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Umaga. He was best remembered for his time with World Wrestling Entertainment, where he was a two-time Intercontinental Champion. He was a member of the Anoa'i wrestling family and frequently worked as a part of a tag team – variously named The Island Boyz, the Samoan Gangstas, and 3-Minute Warning – with his cousin Matt Anoa'i. During Fatu's first stint with WWE, he was known as Jamal and Matt was billed as Rosey. In late 2005, Fatu returned to WWE repackaged under the ring name "Umaga", Fatu went undefeated for many months on WWE's RAW brand throughout much of 2006, before suffering his first defeat in January of 2007. Fatu died on December 4, 2009, as a result of a heart attack.

The news struck everyone hard, many of Eddie's former wrestling coworkers tweeted how much they would miss him and to keep the Fatu family in our prayers. Umaga was only 36 years-old when he was discovered on the floor of his room with blood from his nose and mouth. He was taken to the hospital, but, aside from life-support, not much could be done.

Umaga was released from the WWE because he failed the Wellness Policy for a second time, and refused to go to rehab. Fatu died of a heart attack, unlikely that it was from natural causes, especially at 36 years of age.

Umaga's final apperance in the WWE was a Samoan Strap Match, at the Extreme Rules pay-per-view, in a losing effort against CM Punk. Let's hope that WWE does not decide to use his death as a means to boost CM Punk's crusade against drug abusers.

Eddie Fatu's final wrestling gig was in Australia as part of Hogan's Hulkamania Tour.

My foundest memory of Umaga was at the Royal Rumble 2007, in a Last Man Standing Match against John Cena for the WWE Championship - also known as Umaga's first loss. Umaga never became the WWE Championship but he was a 2-time Intercontinental champion, beating the likes of Jeff Hardy and Santino Marella. It was the best year for Umaga especially alongside his manager, Armando Alejandro Estrada.

Umaga was an amazing athete and during his final months with the company he had a great match against John Morrison where the audience got up from their seats to applaud both performers.

There will never be anyone like Eddie Fatu, let's see if at least WWE pays him the repect that he deserves with a 10 bell salute to the Samoan Bulldozer

R.I.P. Eddie Fatu
(1973-2009)

WWE Remembers: RIP Captain Lou Albano 1933-2009

This bio was copied from the Official World Wrestling Entertainment Website.

He was “often imitated, never duplicated” and rightfully so, because the legendary Captain Lou Albano will always be one of a kind. With his open Hawaiian shirts, outrageous facial hair and trademark rubber bands hanging from his cheek, Captain Lou may not have looked like much of a success, but his record speaks for itself.

Albano was an excellent athlete as a youth, attending the University of Tennessee on a football scholarship. After a stint in the United States Army, he began his sports-entertainment career in Canada in 1953. Albano soon began teaming with Tony Altimore; together they were known as “The Sicilians.” After coming to the WWWF in the 1960s, they defeated the legendary Bruno Sammartino & Spiros Arion to win the WWWF United States Tag Team Championship in 1967.

After the breakup of The Sicilians, Albano transformed himself into a manager, making it his sole mission to end the lengthy WWE Championship reign of Bruno Sammartino. This made him perhaps the most hated man in the promotion, but in 1971, he accomplished his goal; protégé Ivan Koloff defeated Sammartino in Madison Square Garden to end the Italian champion’s seven-plus year reign. Koloff’s reign lasted only three weeks, and despite managing several other Hall of Famers, Koloff was the only World Champion Albano ever managed. He would lead Don Muraco, Greg Valentine and Pat Patterson to the Intercontinental Championship, but never again tasted a World title.

Having been a tag team star himself, though, it was in managing duos where Albano excelled. In the span of 20 years, he managed 15 different teams to the World Tag Team Championship, earning the nickname “The Guiding Light” and a record that may never be broken. Several of his championship duos featured Hall of Famers, including fellow 1996 Hall of Fame inductees The Valiant Brothers and 2007 inductees The Wild Samoans. Mr. Fuji & Mr. Saito, The Executioners and The Moondogs were just of few of the other teams to become World Tag Team Champions under Captain Lou’s guidance.

After 15 years of being one of the most hated men in sports-entertainment, however, Albano had a change of heart. In 1983, he appeared in Cyndi Lauper’s music video for “Girls Just Want to Have Fun,” and later claimed to be the catalyst to Lauper’s success. Thus began the legendary “Rock n’ Wrestling” Era in WWE, which combined with Hulkamania helped launch WWE into a new stratosphere in the mid-1980s. After a lengthy rivalry with the singer (which saw Lauper’s pal Wendi Richter win the Women’s Championship from Albano’s client The Fabulous Moolah), Captain Lou apologized to Lauper and became an instant fan favorite. Once the Rock n’ Wrestling phenomenon began to wind down, Albano led the British Bulldogs to the World Tag Team Championship in 1986 before leaving WWE.

In his time away from WWE, Albano capitalized on his newfound celebrity. He appeared in several episodes of shows such as Miami Vice before starring in the film Body Slam alongside fellow Hall of Famer “Rowdy” Roddy Piper in 1987. Albano also managed and performed with rock group NRBQ, who wrote the song “Captain Lou” in his honor. Later, the Captain starred in The Super Mario Bros. Super Show, a hybrid live-action/animated show; Albano played Nintendo legend Mario in the live portion while also voicing his cartoon counterpart.

After nearly a decade away from the ring, however, Captain Lou returned for one final hurrah. In 1994, Albano joined former protégé Afa the Wild Samoan as advisor of Samu & Fatu, the Headshrinkers. Together, Albano & Afa had success once more, leading Samu & Fatu to the World Tag Team Championship. The Headshrinkers thus became the final team on Captain Lou’s legendary list of World Tag Team Champions.

In 1996, Albano claimed his rightful place in the pantheon of the elite, the WWE Hall of Fame. Inducted by legendary New York media personality Joe Franklin, Albano was finally truly recognized as one of sports-entertainment’s elite. He was often imitated but never duplicated, and he certainly will never be forgotten either.

Albano died of "natural causes" on October 14, 2009, aged 76, while under hospice care at his home. He is survived by his wife Geri, four children and fourteen grandchildren. He was one of the greatest wrestlers of all time. All time.