Snuka moved to the Mid-Atlantic Region as a heel, teaming with Paul Orndorff to defeat Greg Valentine and Baron Von Raschke for the Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Titles. In that region, Snuka was managed by the Nature Boy Buddy Rogers and won the United States Title from Ricky Steamboat in a tournament final. He would team with Ray Stevens to wear the Tag Team Titles again, defeating Steamboat and Jay Youngblood. During this time, he was also competing part time for Vince McMahon Sr in New York for what was then an NWA territory. Snuka continued to team with Orndorff against against stars like Ken Patera and Big John Studd after winning the NWA World Tag Team Titles. Snuka would go on to defeat Ric Flair in November of 1979 to become the NWA United States Champion before dropping the gold to Dewey Robertson less than two weeks later. Snuka also made appearances in Georgia, regaining the NWA World Tag Team Titles with partner Terry Gordy before moving to the WWWF as a regular competitor. 

    Snuka returned under the management of the hated Captain Lou Albano and became a top star with his revolutionary high flying tactics coupled with a rugged, brawling style. Snuka rose tot he main event and feuded with WWWF Champion Bob Backlund, wrestling a series of awesome steel cage matches. In one of those, in 1982, Snuka dove from the top of the cage towards a prone Bob Backlund after the match was over with his Superfly Splash finishing maneuver. He would remain a hated heel until September of 1982 when he and Backlund, after another violent match, shook hands to end their feud. Snuka went on to meet WWF Intercontinental Champion Don Muraco in a series of matches and defeated a young Curt Hennig as well. 

    The Superfly would complete his face turn, which began with the Backlund hand-shake, on an edition of Buddy Rogers' interview segment titled "Rogers' Corner". Rogers told Snuka that Albano had stolen money from him and Snuka turned on his former manager and re-adopted Rogers, who had managed him in the NWA, as his new WWF manager. Snuka would go on to have a series of short matches with Captain Lou Albano which were bloody affairs and climaxed in a tag team battle pitting Snuka and Rogers against Albano and SNuka's former partner Ray "The Crippler" Stevens. In one of the highlights, Stevens pile drove Snuka on the concrete floor. Snuka would win that feud and move on to team with Andre the Giant in a series against the Wild Samoans before challenging Don Muraco for the Intercontinental Title inside a steel cage and while unsuccessful, Snuka would get revenge by hitting his Superfly Splash off the top of the cage on Muraco in a match witnessed by a young Mick Foley, who was sitting in the crowd and became inspired to become a professional wrestler. Snuka would continue to wrestle Cage matches and other matches against stars like Muraco, Sgt. Slaughter, the Samoans and Dr. Death David Schultz. 

    Snuka would have another monumental feud with Rowdy Roddy Piper in 1984 after appearing on Piper's interview segment, "Piper's Pit". Piper would insult Snuka, calling him a banana eater and a coconut eater and smashed a coconut over Snuka's head to legitimately knock him unconscious and destroy the set. The two would engage in a bloody feud with tag team partners usually thrown into the mix. Due to a storyline injury, Snuka sat out Wrestlemania I but appeared in a managerial role in the main event pitting Hogan and Mr. T against Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff. Snuka left the WWF shortly after due to a dispute with Vince McMahon Jr, but not before appearing in the Hulk Hogan Rock-n-Wrestling cartoon series. 

    Snuka joined Verne Gagne's American Wrestling Association, now plagued by a depleted talent roster due to the McMahon talent raids preceding Wrestlemania I. He teamed with Greg Gagne to defeat Nord the Barbarian and his old enemy Bruiser Brody at WrestleRock 1986 and feuded with a young Brian Knobbs and Colonel DeBeers before going into semi-retirement following the December AWA supercard, Brawl in St. Paul, where he defeated DeBeers by count out. 

    Snuka made a surprise return to the WWF at Wrestlemania V, coming down the aisle to wave to the crowd before the Andre-Jake match. Jimmy Snuka defeated Boris Zhukov on an edition of Saturday Nights Main Event and feuded with the Honkey Tonk Man after being attacked during an episode of the Brother Love Show. Snuka went on to defeat the Million Dollar Man by count out at Summer Slam 1989, but came up short of winning the King of the Ring tournament in 1989 when he was eliminated in the semi-finals of the 16 man tournament by Rick Martel. Snuka began feuding with Mr. Perfect, beginning a run as a lower card wrestler. Snuka teamed with Roddy Piper and the Bushwhackers to lose to Rick Rude, Mr. Perfect and the Rougeaus at the 1989 Survivor Series. Snuka took part in the 1990 Royal Rumble match and was eliminated by Hulk Hogan. Snuka lost to Rick Rude at Wrestlemania VI at the Skydome, breaking a Canadian attendance record. He would take part in the 1990 Survivor Series, as well, teaming with the Rockers and Jake Roberts in a losing effort against Rick Martel, the Warlord, Paul Roma and Hercules. He took part in the 1991 Royal Rumble Match and then became the first victim of the Undertaker's Wrestlemania winning streak at Wrestlemania VII. Snuka would be a minor player in the WWF, appearing only at special events, including taking part in the 1992 Royal Rumble Match in January and returned to take part in a Battle Royal on RAW in October of 1993 for the Intercontinental Title, eventually won by Razor Ramon, while competing on the independent circuit. 

    Snuka would make history as the first ever ECW World Heavyweight Champion in April of 1992, defeating Salvatore Bellomo. He would lose the title to, and regain it from Johnny Hot Body and then feuded with old WWF enemy Don Muraco in ECW. Snuka also became the first ECW Television Champion, winning a tournament final in March of 1993. Snuka took part in the 1993 Slamboree event for WCW, teaming with Dick Murdoch and Don Muraco against Wahoo McDaniel, Blackjack Mulligan and Jim Brunzell in a six man tag. He would receive his induction to the NWA Hall of Fame and then the WWF Hall of Fame in 1996. He returned one night after his WWF induction for a special appearance, teaming with Yokozuna, Flash Funk and Savio Vega against the fake Diesel, fake Razor Ramon, Faarooq and Vader. He made an appearance for the failing WCW in 2000, hitting the Superfly Splash on WCW World Champion Jeff Jarrett in the main event of Nitro, but, of course, did not win the title. 

    Snuka began to enjoy the perks of the new WWE Legends Program beginning in 2002, accepting a Lifetime Achievement Award on RAW before being attacked by 3 Minute Warning. Snuka then teased a return to the WWE in a managerial role, helping Rikishi in a brief feud with Rowdy Roddy Piper and Sean O'Haire in 2003. He would continue to make various independent appearances against other legends like Greg Valentine and the Honkey Tonk Man before appearing at the WWE Homecoming event where he hit the Superfly Splash on Rob Conway. Snuka returned to Pay Per View to team with Eugene to defeat Rob Conway and Tyson Tomko. He continues to compete on the independent circuit. He also introduced his son, Jimmy Snuka Jr, also known as Deuce Shade, to the business and helped him secure a WWE developmental contract. 

    Snuka's revolutionary high flying style and character made him an instant hit in Hawaii and then the mainland of the United States of America and the world over. He has taken part in some of the all time legendary matches and storylines in American wrestling history and there is no doubt he belongs here with his peers at the UWOW Hall of Fame.