Navajo Warrior

Navajo Warrior
Personal information
BornSteve Islas
(1970-07-07) July 7, 1970[2]
Gilbert, Arizona, U.S.
Professional wrestling career
Ring names
Billed height6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Billed weight266 lb (121 kg)
Trained bySteve Gatorwolf[2]
Debut1989
RetiredNovember 8, 2025

Steve Islas (born July 7, 1970), better known by the ring name Navajo Warrior,[1] is an American retired professional wrestler. Islas performed for many different wrestling companies in Arizona, the Southwest United States and the independent circuit. Islas currently is the owner of Impact Zone Wrestling (IZW) since 2000.[3][1] He also wrestled in WWE, National Wrestling Conference and Pro Wrestling Zero1 in Japan.

Professional wrestling career

Trained by Steve Gatorwolf, Islas made his wrestling debut in 1989 in Arizona.

Islas worked for the WWF as Shawn Dakota from 1993 to 1996 losing to Razor Ramon, Yokozuna, Owen Hart, Vader, Headshrinkers, and The Smokin' Gunns.[4][5][6]

In the early 2000s, Islas began teaming with Ghostwalker as "Native Blood". On September 1, 2000, they defeated The Corporate Stooges (Jonnie Stewart & Tony DeNucci) in Gallup, New Mexico to win the AWA Superstars World Tag Team Championship. Native Blood held the belts for over three years until Ghostwalker turned on Navajo Warrior. Ghostwalker aligned himself with Charming Chad, as Model's Inc., and subsequently changed his name to G.Q. Gallo.[7] In a match to decide new champions, Navajo Warrior teamed with Evan Karagias in a losing effort against Model's Inc. on March 26, 2004.

From 2005 to 2007, Islas worked for the WWE where he fought against Chris Benoit, Jim Duggan, Eugene, Big Daddy V and the Highlanders.[8][9][10]

Islas and Ghostwalker eventually reunited in Impact Zone Wrestling and twice won the IZW Tag Team Championship. On January 5, 2008, they defeated NWA Arizona Tag Team Champions The 602 Wrecking Crew (Jacob Herzberg & Marty Murphy) to unify the titles. Around this time, Native Blood formed a brief alliance in World Pro Wrestling with Tatanka against then WPW Heavyweight Champion "Golden Boy" Jerry Grey and WPW Tag Team Champions Heinrich Volkoff and Gino Santana.[11][12][13]

Navajo Warrior later formed a successful tag team with John Williams (The Hawaiian Lion / Shooting Wolf) as both "Native Warriors" and "The Tribe". On July 10, 2011, The Tribe beat Natural Selection (Brian Cage and Shaun Ricker) for the CWFH Heritage Tag Team Championship in Los Angeles, California. They defended the belts throughout the Southwestern United States[14] for nearly two years before losing the belts to Los Banditos (Rico Dynamite and Tito Escondido) in Glendale, California on February 10, 2013. At the time, they were the longest-reigning champions in the promotion's history.[15]

After a 35-year career, Islas announced his retirement from pro wrestling with the "Last Mile Tour".[16] His final match took place on November 8, 2025 when he lost to Samoa Joe in Impact Zone Wrestling.[17]

Championships and accomplishments

  • All Star Wrestling Alliance
    • ASWA Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[18]
  • American Wrestling Federation
    • AWF Heavyweight Championship (8 times)[20][21]
  • Dragon's Den
    • Dragon's Den Championship (1 time)[23]
  • Florida Championship Wrestling / Native American Wrestling Federation
    • FCW/NAWF Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Ghostwalker
  • Impact Wrestling Federation
    • IWF Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[24]
  • Impact Zone Wrestling
    • IZW Heavyweight Championship (2 times)[25]
    • IZW Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with The Hawaiian Lion and Ghostwalker[26]
  • International Championship Wrestling
    • ICW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Shooting Wolf
  • Rage in the Cage Wrestling
    • Rage in the Cage Wrestling Championship (1 time)[28]
  • Pro Wrestling Illustrated
    • PWI ranked him # 482 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the PWI 500 in 1997
    • PWI ranked him # 351 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the PWI 500 in 2002
    • PWI ranked him # 344 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the PWI 500 in 2003
    • PWI ranked him # 375 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the PWI 500 in 2007
    • PWI ranked him # 384 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the PWI 500 in 2008
    • PWI ranked him # 479 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the PWI 500 in 2009
  • Venue Wrestling Entertainment
    • VWE Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with The Hawaiian Lion
  • Western Alliance Entertainment
    • WAE Inter-Tribal Championship (1 time)
  • World Pro Wrestling
    • WPW American Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
    • WPW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Shawn Riddik
  • Western States Wrestling
    • WSW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Ghostwalker

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Career « Navajo Warrior « Wrestlers Database « CAGEMATCH – The Internet Wrestling Database".
  2. ^ a b "Navajo Warrior – OWW". September 17, 2025.
  3. ^ Stager, Kimlye (October 12, 2023). "Impact Zone Wrestling giving audience free Cool Town Clash". Casa Grande Dispatch. p. 2B.
  4. ^ "1993". Thehistoryofwwe.com. Retrieved December 31, 2016.
  5. ^ "1995". Thehistoryofwwe.com. Retrieved December 31, 2016.
  6. ^ "1996". Thehistoryofwwe.com. Retrieved December 31, 2016.
  7. ^ Levine, Alan (March 16, 2004). "'And in this corner ...'". Casa Grande Dispatch.
  8. ^ "2005". Thehistoryofwwe.com. Retrieved December 31, 2016.
  9. ^ "2006". Thehistoryofwwe.com. Retrieved December 31, 2016.
  10. ^ "2007". Thehistoryofwwe.com. Retrieved December 31, 2016.
  11. ^ Kie, Will (January 31, 2008). "Wrestling is back". Cibola Citizen. Get out your war paint wrestling fans and head to the Sky City Casino VIP Showroom on March 1 as World Pro Wrestling returns with its biggest show to date. Headlining the fight card is the three-man tag-team match featuring Native American superstars Tatanka, Navajo Warrior and Ghostwalker. Hoping to silence the pro-Native crowd will be Golden Boy Jerry Grey, Santana and the wrestler formerly known as "Doinks the Clown."
  12. ^ Kie, Will (February 29, 2008). "Tatanka answers the call at Sky City". Cibola Citizen.
  13. ^ Kie, Will (March 3, 2008). "Native Blood triumphs, Tatanka issues challenge to Golden Boy". Cibola Citizen. Native Blood and Tatanka earned the tag-team World Pro Wrestling championship belts after the team of Golden Boy Jerry Grey, the Might Heinrich Volkoff and Gino Santana were disqualified by the referee for interference. [...] As the action continued in and out of the ring, the referee made his way to the announcer's table and disqualified Grey, Volkoff and Santana, essentially giving the three-man tag-team championship to Native Blood and Tatanka.
  14. ^ "International Tag Team TMDK debut in NWA Hollywood, February 12th, 3PM". Anaheim Examiner. February 7, 2012. 2012 has been a good year for the NWA Heritage Tag Team Champions, The Tribe. Hawaiian Lion, Navajo Warrior and Olivia have defended the Heritage Tag Titles all over the Southwest and for their achievements will be rewarded with new championship title belts. However Los Banditos, Rico and Tito with Sylvia have their own plans for Sunday. The last time these two squared off there was mass panic, the action spilled out of the ring, and the match was thrown out.
  15. ^ "The Tribe Challenges for the United World Tag Titles on Oct 28". HollywoodWrestling.com. Championship Wrestling from Hollywood. October 27, 2018. Retrieved February 12, 2026.
  16. ^ James Walsh (January 28, 2025). "Interactive Wrestling Radio Interview - Navajo Warrior". Interactive Wrestling Radio (Podcast). WrestlingEpicenter.com. Retrieved February 12, 2012.
  17. ^ Thill, Rob (November 6, 2025). "Arizona's The Navajo Warrior walks The Last Mile facing AEW star". SLAM! Wrestling. Canoe.com. Retrieved November 6, 2025.
  18. ^ Royal Duncan; Gary Will (2000). "UTAH: ASWA All Star Wrestling Alliance Title". Wrestling Title Histories. Archeus Communications. pp. 295–296. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
  19. ^ "AWA Superstars of Wrestling World Tag Team Title". Wrestling-Titles.com. Puroresu Dojo. 2003. Retrieved February 12, 2026.
  20. ^ Royal Duncan; Gary Will (2000). "ARIZONA: AWF American Wrestling Federation Title [Steve Catcher]". Wrestling Title Histories. Archeus Communications. p. 294. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
  21. ^ "AWF Heavyweight Title (Arizona/Colorado/Utah)". Wrestling-Titles.com. Puroresu Dojo. 2003. Retrieved February 12, 2026.
  22. ^ "NA/CWFH Heritage Tag Team Title (California)". Wrestling-Titles.com. Puroresu Dojo. 2003. Retrieved February 12, 2026.
  23. ^ Royal Duncan; Gary Will (2000). "ARIZONA: Dragon's Den Title [Paul Stevens]". Wrestling Title Histories. Archeus Communications. p. 295. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
  24. ^ Royal Duncan; Gary Will (2000). "CALIFORNIA: IWF Impact Wrestling Federation Title [Gary Key]". Wrestling Title Histories. Archeus Communications. p. 308. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
  25. ^ "IZW Heavyweight Title (Arizona)". Wrestling-Titles.com. Puroresu Dojo. 2003. Retrieved February 12, 2026.
  26. ^ a b "IZW Tag Team Title (Arizona)". Wrestling-Titles.com. Puroresu Dojo. 2003. Retrieved February 12, 2026.
  27. ^ Dykens, Brad (January 6, 2008). "IZW & RPW Titles Unified on Jan. 5". OnlineWorldOfWrestling.com. Retrieved February 12, 2026.
  28. ^ Royal Duncan; Gary Will (2000). "ARIZONA: Rage in the Cage Wrestling Title". Wrestling Title Histories. Archeus Communications. p. 294. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
  29. ^ "UPW Internet Title (California)". Wrestling-Titles.com. Puroresu Dojo. 2003. Retrieved February 12, 2026.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.