Hikuleo (wrestler)


Tautuiaki Taula Koloamatangi is an American professional wrestler of Tongan descent. He is currently wrestling for the Japanese promotion New Japan Pro-Wrestling under the ring name Hikuleo, where he is a member of the Bullet Club. He is part of the Fifita professional wrestling family.

Early life

Koloamatangi 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. He was raised in Kissimmee, Florida, attending Osceola High School. He attended Florida's Webber International University, majoring in sport 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)

Koloamatangi was trained to wrestle by Bully Ray and Devon at the Team 3D Academy in Florida. In 2016, he travelled to Japan, where he became a student at the New Japan Pro-Wrestling dojo. Koloamatangi, under the ring name Hikule'o, made his professional wrestling debut on November 12, 2016 in Auckland, New Zealand at NJPW's On the Mat Internet pay-per-view, losing to Henare.
Koloamatangi continued his training throughout 2017, serving as a young lion. He rejoined the active NJPW roster in September 2017, taking part in the Destruction tour under the ring name "Leo Tonga". He joined the gaijin heel stable Bullet Club alongside his brothers Tanga Loa and Tama Tonga and his cousin Bad Luck Fale, substituting for the injured Kenny Omega. On January 4, 2018, Koloamatangi appeared at Wrestle Kingdom 12, the 27th annual January 4 Tokyo Dome Show, taking part in a New Japan Rumble. At The New Beginning in Sapporo later that month, Koloamatangi changed his ring name to "Hikuleo". In March 2018, Hikuleo sustained an injury to his anterior cruciate ligament.
After recuperating and spending six months training at the NJPW Dojo in Los Angeles, Hikuleo returned at in February 2019, accompanying his brothers to ringside. Hikuleo competed in the 2019 New Japan Cup for the first time in his career, in which he was eliminated in the first round by Mikey Nicholls. Following that, Hikuleo debuted in The European promotion Revolution Pro Wrestling for his excursion to gain more experience and training, losing to Dan Magee in his first match on June 29.

Personal life

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