'The Samoan Tsunami' Makes Waves in MCW

Nui Tofiga was always a fan of professional wrestling, but never thought about making a living with it.

That changed with a chance encounter on Nov. 9, 1999, after exiting the 1st Mariner Arena following a taping of WWE Smackdown. Former Maryland Championship Wrestling owner and veteran wrestler Mark “The Shark” Shrader was impressed with the look of the 6-foot-1, more than 300-pounder and approached him about pursuing a career in sports entertainment.

“I never really explored the possibility of being a professional wrestler,” Tofiga said. “But, once I started training, I enjoyed it and knew it was what I wanted to do.”

However, the journey toward that career took several years, as the coaches at Towson weren’t too fond of him pursing pro wrestling while playing football for the Tigers. Maryland Championship Wrestling then closed down in 2003 for several years before the local promotion restarted in 2006, which allowed Tofiga to pursue his dream.

Over the last few years, Tofiga, 31, has become one of the more well-known wrestlers on the independent scene along the East Coast. He has performed for MCW and Eastern Wrestling Association in Maryland, along with promotions such CZW and WXW in Pennsylvania, among others.

Tofiga will be on the latest MCW card Thursday night at Wild Duck Café in Middle River when he tags with Ryan McBride to face Ronnie Zuko and The Bruiser. The "MCW Insomnia" card starts at 7:30 p.m. and admission is free to the public.

Tofiga said getting to perform for MCW is among the highlights of his career as it has a reputation for being one of the top independent promotions in the region.

During his time with MCW, he has had the chance to work with such well-known wrestlers like “The Hurricane” Shane Helms while also interacting with the likes of Ron Simmons—the first African-American world heavyweight champion.

“Working for MCW is like getting to go to the college you dreamed of,” Tofiga said. “You work with some great people and also get to learn a lot about the business. Getting the chance to pick the brains of some of the greats like Ron Simmons means a lot. I haven’t even learned one-half of one percent of what there is to know about wrestling.”

Tofiga, whose real name is Arthur Pittman, traveled throughout the world long before he entertained fans throughout the region. His mother was an Air Force veteran and he attended several schools before settling in Virginia.

There, he attended Bishop Ireton, where he had 203 tackles in his high school career and led the school to the 1994 Virginia State Catholic championship. His cousin, Kavika Pittman, played for the Dallas Cowboys.

Tofiga said he enjoyed watching fellow wrestlers of Polynesian descent like “Superfly” Jimmy Snuka and the “Wild Samoans” while growing up, and tries to pattern his style after them.

MCW owner and longtime wrestler Dan McDevitt said Tofiga has all the tools to go far in professional wrestling.

“I have great respect for Nui’s work in the ring,” McDevitt said. “He doesn’t have the body-builder physique, but has the ability in all facets of the profession to go very far.”

Tofiga has not had the opportunity to work for the WWE or TNA, the other national wrestling promotion. While he would love that chance, Tofiga said he’s simply enjoying what he is doing right now as he has independent bookings for the rest of the year.

“There’s a rush of performing for a crowd, no matter the size,” he said. “I’ve been a surfer for much of my life and right now I’m just going to ride this pro wrestling wave and see where it takes me.”

MCW Insomnia

When: Thursday, May 19, 2011 at 7:30 p.m.

Where: Wild Duck Cafe in Middle River

Cost: Admission is free