Afa Amituanaʻi Anoaʻi (November 21, 1943 – August 16, 2024) was a Samoan-American professional wrestler and professional wrestling manager. He is best known for performing with his brother Sika as The Wild Samoans. He operated the World Xtreme Wrestling promotion after he retired from pro wrestling in 1995, and trained wrestlers at the Wild Samoan Training Center in

Minneola, Florida Minneola is a city in Lake County, Florida, United States. It is part of the Orlando–Kissimmee–Sanford Metropolitan Statistical Area. The Minneola tangelo is named after the city. The population was 13,843 at the 2020 census. Ety ...

Early life

Anoaʻi was born in Leone, American Samoa, on November 21, 1943, to Reverend Amituana'i Anoa'i and Tovaleomanaia Ripley-Anoa'i. When he was young, his family relocated to

San Francisco San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...

, California, in the United States, where his father established the First

Congregational Congregationalism (also Congregational Churches or Congregationalist Churches) is a Reformed Christianity, Reformed Christian (Calvinist) tradition of Protestant Christianity in which churches practice Congregationalist polity, congregational ...

Christian Church of American Samoa. At the age of 17, Anoaʻi enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps.

Professional wrestling career

Early career (1971–1979)

Upon leaving the Marine Corps, Anoaʻi began training as a wrestler under his uncle Peter Maivia and cousin-in-law Rocky Johnson. He later received supplementary training from Kurt Von Steiger. He wrestled his first match in 1971 in

Phoenix, Arizona Phoenix ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities and towns in Arizona#List of cities and towns, most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona. With over 1.6 million residents at the 2020 census, it is the ...

. He then trained his brother Sika, and the siblings formed a

tag team Tag team wrestling is a type of professional wrestling in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. Tag teams may be made up of wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of establis ...

known best as The Wild Samoans. Throughout the 1970s, The Wild Samoans wrestled for the Canadian Stampede Wrestling promotion (where they received further training from

Stu Hart Stewart Edward Hart (May 3, 1915 – October 16, 2003) was a Canadian sport wrestling, amateur and professional wrestling, professional wrestler, wrestling Booker (professional wrestling), booker, professional wrestling promotion, promoter, and ...

) and for numerous

National Wrestling Alliance The National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) is an American professional wrestling professional wrestling promotion, promotion and governing body owned by Billy Corgan and operated by its parent company Lightning One, Inc. Founded in 1948, the NWA be ...

affiliates. In 1978, The Wild Samoans traveled to Japan to wrestle for International Wrestling Enterprise, winning the IWA World Tag Team Championship.

World Wrestling Federation (1979–1995)

In 1979, The Wild Samoans joined the World Wrestling Federation, where they were managed by

Lou Albano Louis Vincent Albano (July 29, 1933 – October 14, 2009) was an Italian-American professional wrestler, manager and actor, who performed under the ring/stage name "Captain" Lou Albano. He was active as a professional wrestler from 1953 until 1 ...

and referred to as "Albano's Wildmen". The "wild" nature of the brothers was conveyed through their unorthodox behavior (which included communicating only in unintelligible grunts and consuming unprepared raw

fish A fish (: fish or fishes) is an aquatic animal, aquatic, Anamniotes, anamniotic, gill-bearing vertebrate animal with swimming fish fin, fins and craniate, a hard skull, but lacking limb (anatomy), limbs with digit (anatomy), digits. Fish can ...

, during

interviews An interview is a structured conversation where one participant asks questions, and the other provides answers.Merriam Webster DictionaryInterview Dictionary definition, Retrieved February 16, 2016 In common parlance, the word "interview" re ...

and while approaching the

wrestling ring A wrestling ring, also known as the squared circle, is the stage on which a professional wrestling match usually occurs. It is similarly constructed to a boxing ring and is traditionally square-shaped. In Japan, it is also common to see mixed mart ...

). While in the WWF, The Wild Samoans won the WWF World Tag Team Championship. Both members also challenged Bob Backlund for the WWF Heavyweight Championship on several occasions. They left the promotion in 1980. The Wild Samoans then wrestled in

Mid-South Wrestling The Universal Wrestling Federation was a 1986 re-branding of wrestler-turned-owner Bill Watts' Mid-South Wrestling promotion. Watts' goal was to elevate his promotion from a relatively smaller, regional-level business, to a national-level riv ...

and

Jim Crockett Promotions Jim Crockett Promotions, at times branded as Eastern States Championship Wrestling and Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling, is a Family business, family-owned professional wrestling promotion headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, United Sta ...

, before returning to the WWF in 1982 and regaining the WWF World Tag Team Championship in 1983. After Sika suffered an injury, the tag team was supplemented by Afa's son Samu (the relationship was not acknowledged on TV). The trio remained in the WWF until 1984. According to Afa, he lost his job because he missed work to attend the birth of his son. Anoaʻi returned to the WWF for a third time in 1992, as the manager and occasional tag partner of The Headshrinkers (Samu and Anoai's nephew, Fatu). He wrestled his final match on May 22, 1994, teaming with The Headshrinkers to defeat The Quebecers and Johnny Polo at the Rosemont Horizon. Anoaʻi left the WWF in mid-1995.

Training and semi-retirement (1995–2024)

After leaving the WWF, he began training wrestlers at his Wild Samoan Training Facility, along with Sika. In 1997, both men reunited for one night teaming at IWA Night Of The Legends. On March 31, 2007, the Wild Samoans were inducted into the

WWE Hall of Fame The WWE Hall of Fame is a List of halls and walks of fame, hall of fame which honors professional wrestlers and professional wrestling personalities maintained by WWE. Originally known as the "WWF Hall of Fame", it was created in 1993 when An ...

by Samu and Sika's son,

Matt Matt may refer to: *Matt (name), people with the given name ''Matt'' or Matthew, meaning "gift from God", or the surname Matt *In British English, of a surface: having a non-glossy finish, see gloss (material appearance) *Matt, Switzerland, a mu ...

. He was the wrestling trainer for

Darren Aronofsky Darren Aronofsky (born February 12, 1969) is an American Filmmaking, filmmaker. His films are noted for their surreal, dramatic, and often disturbing elements, frequently in the form of psychological realism. His accolades include a Golden Lion ...

's 2008 film, '' The Wrestler''. In 2013 and 2014, Afa came out of retirement to wrestle for his promotion World Xtreme Wrestling at age 71. The Wild Samoans appeared at

Hell in a Cell Hell in a Cell is a professional wrestling steel cage-based match which originated in 1997 in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE). It features a large cell structure, a four-sided cuboid made from open-weave steel mesh chain-link f ...

in 2020 to celebrate

Roman Reigns Leati Joseph Anoaʻi ( ; born May 25, 1985), better known by his ring name Roman Reigns, is an American professional wrestler and former gridiron football, football player. As a wrestler, he has been signed to WWE , where he performs on the Sm ...

's victory.

Usos Foundation

In 1999, Afa and his wife Lynn started the Usos Foundation, a non-profit organization aiming to turn youth away from drugs, gangs, and poverty by providing scholarships to the Wild Samoans Training Center.

Personal life

Anoa'i was married to Lynn Maluta. His sons Afa Jr, Lloyd, and

Samuel Samuel is a figure who, in the narratives of the Hebrew Bible, plays a key role in the transition from the biblical judges to the United Kingdom of Israel under Saul, and again in the monarchy's transition from Saul to David. He is venera ...

were professional wrestlers. Anoa'i held the matai title of Gataivasā.

Death

On August 16, 2024, Samu Anoa'i announced Afa had died of a heart attack at the age of 80, less than two months after Sika's death. Sika was Afa's real life brother and tag team partner.

Championships and accomplishments

* Big Time Wrestling ** NWA World Tag Team Championship ''(Detroit version)'' ( 2 times) – with Sika *

Continental Wrestling Association Continental Wrestling Association (later the Championship Wrestling Association) was a wrestling promotion managed by Jerry Jarrett. The CWA was the name of the "governing body" for the Championship Wrestling, Inc. promotion which was usually ...

** AWA Southern Tag Team Championship ( 1 time) – with Sika *

Georgia Championship Wrestling Georgia Championship Wrestling is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Atlanta, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. The promotion was affiliated with what had been the world's top sanctioning body of championship titles for decades b ...

** NWA National Tag Team Championship ( 1 time) – with Sika * Gulf Coast Championship Wrestling ** NWA Gulf Coast Tag Team Championship ( 2 times) – with Sika * International Wrestling Enterprise ** IWA World Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Sika * Mid-South Wrestling Association ** Mid-South Tag Team Championship ( 3 times) – with Sika *

NWA All-Star Wrestling NWA All Star Wrestling (sometimes referred to as NWA Vancouver) is a Canadian professional wrestling promotion, based in Vancouver, British Columbia. All-Star Wrestling folded in 1989. History Early history Although other wrestling promotions e ...

** NWA Canadian Tag Team Championship ''(Vancouver version)'' ( 1 time) – with Sika *

NWA Mid-America NWA Mid-America was a professional wrestling promotion territory under the umbrella of the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) that promoted shows in Tennessee, Kentucky and Alabama from 1940 until 1981. The company was founded in 1940 by Nick Gulas ...

** NWA United States Tag Team Championship (''Mid-America version'') ( 1 time) – with Sika * Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame ** Class of 2012 – Inducted as a member of the Wild Samoans *

Pro Wrestling Illustrated ''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' (''PWI'') is an American professional wrestling magazine that was founded in 1979 by publisher Stanley Weston. ''PWI'' is headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, and published by Kappa Publishing Group. The maga ...

**PWI ranked him # 346 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the "PWI Years" in 2003 **PWI ranked him # 93 of the 100 best tag teams of the "PWI Years" with Sika in 2003 *

Southeastern Championship Wrestling Continental Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion based in Knoxville, Tennessee, and Dothan, Alabama, from 1985 until 1989, owned by Ron Fuller. The promotion evolved out of the NWA-affiliated Southeastern Championship W ...

** NWA Southern Tag Team Championship ''(Southern Division)'' ( 2 times) – with Sika * Stampede Wrestling ** Stampede Wrestling International Tag Team Championship ( 2 times) – with Sika *

World Wrestling Entertainment World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) is an American professional wrestling promotion. It is owned and operated by TKO Group Holdings, a majority-owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. A global integrated media and entertainment company, ...

/ World Wrestling Federation ** WWF Tag Team Championship ( 3 times) – with Sika **

(Class of 2007)

Acting career

*'' Body Slam'' (1987) *''

Miami Vice ''Miami Vice'' is an American crime drama television series created by Anthony Yerkovich and produced by Michael Mann for NBC. The series stars Don Johnson as James "Sonny" Crockett and Philip Michael Thomas as Ricardo Tubbs, Ricardo "Rico" Tub ...

'' (1987) in the episode "By Hooker by Crook" as "Henchman #2" *'' Mr. Nanny'' (1993)

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Anoai, Afa 1942 births 2024 deaths 20th-century male professional wrestlers 20th-century United States Marines 20th-century American male actors 20th-century American sportsmen 20th-century Samoan people American male film actors American male professional wrestlers American professional wrestlers of Samoan descent Anoaʻi family Military personnel from California NWA National Tag Team Champions NWA World Tag Team Champions (Detroit version) People from Lake County, Florida Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum Professional wrestling managers and valets Professional wrestling promoters Professional wrestling trainers Samoan emigrants to the United States Samoan male film actors Samoan professional wrestlers Stampede Wrestling alumni Stampede Wrestling International Tag Team Champions World Tag Team Champions (WWE, 1971–2010) WWE Hall of Fame inductees WWC World Tag Team Champions