A lot happened across Pacific sports this past week, with athletes and teams making headlines across football, boxing, rugby, professional wrestling and more.
With so much happening across the region and around the world, Island City Media rounded up some of the biggest Pacific sports moments from Aug. 9–16, 2026 that you may have missed.
These are just a few of the standout stories from the past week, and we know there are plenty more happening across our communities.
Here’s what made headlines:
American Samoa Stuns Team USA in Flag Football
American Samoa delivered one of the biggest upsets of the week, defeating Team USA 38–32 in flag football and snapping the Americans’ 14-year unbeaten streak.
Led by quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa, who threw for five touchdowns, American Samoa pulled off a historic victory at the 2026 IFAF Flag Football World Championships. The win has been described as one of the biggest upsets in the sport’s history.
Teremoana Teremoana Does It Again
Cook Islands heavyweight Teremoana Teremoana continued his incredible knockout streak, stopping American DeAndre Savage in the second round to improve to 12–0.
The victory marked Teremoana’s 12th straight knockout, keeping his perfect knockout record intact.
12 fights. 12 KOs.
Ma’a Nonu Answers the All Blacks With a Haka
Rugby legend Ma’a Nonu delivered one of the most memorable moments of the week when he responded to the All Blacks’ haka with a solo haka of his own.
The powerful moment between the longtime New Zealand rugby star and the All Blacks quickly resonated with fans across the Pacific and beyond.
The Warriors Perform Their First-Ever Haka
The New Zealand Warriors made history this week by performing a haka before their NRL clash with the Penrith Panthers.
The powerful cultural moment came during the club’s Indigenous Round matchup, marking the first time the Warriors had performed a team haka before an NRL match.
Zilla Fatu Makes His WWE Debut
Zilla Fatu, son of the late WWE legend Umaga, officially made his WWE NXT debut this week, immediately making an impact and setting social media ablaze.
Fatu’s debut generated major buzz online, with more than 16 million views across WWE’s social platforms in less than 15 hours, showing just how much attention his arrival received.
The debut marks the beginning of a new chapter in Fatu’s professional wrestling career as he continues to build his own legacy while carrying on the name of one of wrestling’s most recognizable Samoan families.
Tafuna Warriors Shut Out East High 46–0
The Tafuna Warriors traveled all the way from American Samoa to Utah for a high school football matchup and made an immediate statement, shutting out East High 46–0.
The dominant performance brought the excitement of Friday Night Lights to the mainland as the American Samoa champions continue their U.S. football journey.
