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Afa Anoa'i

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Arthur Anoa'i
Born (1942-11-21) November 21, 1942 (age 81)[1]
Samoa
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)Afa
Afa The Wild Samoan
Billed height6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)[1]
Billed weight326 lb (148 kg; 23.3 st)[1]
Trained byRocky Johnson[1]
Peter Maivia[1]
Kurt Von Steiger[1]
Debut1971[1]
Retired1990s

Arthur "Afa" Anoa'i, Sr. (born November 21 1942)[1] is a Samoan American retired professional wrestler and professional wrestling manager. Since retiring in the 1990s, he has operated the World Xtreme Wrestling promotion and trained wrestlers at the Wild Samoan Training Facility.

Early life

Anoa'i was born in Samoa, but his family relocated to San Francisco, California in the United States of America when he was young. At the age of 17, Anoa'i enlisted in the United States Marine Corps.[2]

Wrestling career

Upon leaving the Marine Corps, Anoa'i began training as a wrestler under family friends Rocky Johnson and Peter Maivia, later receiving supplementary training from Kurt Von Steiger. He debuted in 1971, wrestling his first match in Phoenix, Arizona. Anoa'i subsequently trained his brother Sika, and the siblings formed a tag team known as the Wild Samoans.[3][4]

Throughout the 1970s, the Wild Samoans competed for the Canadian Stampede Wrestling promotion, where they received supplementary training from Stu Hart, and for numerous National Wrestling Alliance affiliates. In 1978, the Wild Samoans traveled to Japan and competed for the International Wrestling Alliance, winning the IWA Tag Team Championship.[5]

World Wrestling Federation

In 1979, the Wild Samoans joined the World Wide Wrestling Federation, where they were partnered with manager Lou Albano and renamed "Albano's Wildmen". The "wild" nature of the brothers was highlighted by their unorthodox behavior, which included communicating only in unintelligible grunts and consuming unprepared raw fish during interviews and on approach to the ring. While in the WWWF (renamed the World Wrestling Federation, or WWF, in 1979) the Wild Samoans won the WWWF World Tag Team Championship and challenged Bob Backlund for the WWWF Heavyweight Championship on several occasions. They left the promotion in 1980.[6][7]

The Wild Samoans wrestled in Mid-South Wrestling and Jim Crockett Promotions before returning to the WWF in 1983 and regaining the WWF World Tag Team Championship. When Sika suffered an injury, the tag team was supplemented by Anoa'i's son Samu. The trio remained in the WWF until 1984.[8]

Anoa'i returned to the WWF for a third time in 1992 as the manager of The Headshrinkers, Samu and Anoai's nephew Fatu. Anoa'i remained with the WWF until 1994.

Later career

Upon leaving the WWF, he began training wrestlers at the Wild Samoan Training Facility along with his brother.[9]

On March 31 2007, the Wild Samoans were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame by Samu and Sika's son, Matt.[10][5]

In wrestling

  • Nicknames[11]
    • The Dream Maker
    • The Godfather of Professional Wrestling
    • Pops
    • The Wild Samoan
  • Wrestlers trained by Anoa'i

Championships and accomplishments

  • International Wrestling Alliance
  • IWA Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Sika[20]

Acting career

Personal life

Anoa'i is a member of the large Anoa'i family. He is married to Lynn, with whom he has three sons, Samu, Afa, Jr. and Lloyd, all of whom are wrestlers, and a daughter, Monica, who married wrestler Gary Albright. Numerous other relatives of Anoa'i have wrestled, including his brother, Sika, and his nephews Rodney "Yokozuna" Anoa'i, Sam "Tama" Fatu, Solofa "Rikishi" Fatu, Jr., Eddie "Umaga" Fatu and Matt "RO'Z" Anoa'i. Numerous other wrestlers are closely connected with the family, including Peter Maivia, Tanoai Reed, Rocky Johnson, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Jimmy Snuka, Jimmy Snuka, Jr. and Reno "Black Pearl" Anoa'i. Heavyweight boxer David Tua is also a relative.

Anoa'i is a born-again Christian

Anoa'i is the director of the non-profit USO's Foundation, and is involved with organisations such as Drug Abuse Resistance Education and the Special Olympics.[28]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Profil von Afa Anoai". Cagematch.net. Retrieved 2007-05-30.
  2. ^ "Afa's Corner". WildSamoan.com. 2006. Retrieved 2007-05-30. [Anoa'i] was born and raised in the Island of Samoa, before moving with his family to San Francisco...Afa joined the Marines when he was only 17 years old.
  3. ^ "The Wild Samoans". WWE.com. 2007. Retrieved 2007-05-30. Arthur "Afa" Anoa'i began his career being trained by his Uncle Peter Maivia and cousin Rocky Johnson after he left the United States Marine Corps. Afa would then train his brother, Leati "Sika" Anoa'i, and the two would form a tag team.
  4. ^ Staniforth, P. (2006). "Bill Anderson Interview". WrestlingClothesline.com. Retrieved 2007-05-30. I was trained in 1973 by veteran German wrestler Kurt Von Steiger...Other wrestlers in my class [included] Afa...
  5. ^ a b c "The Wild Samoans". OnlineWorldOfWrestling.com. Retrieved 2007-05-30.
  6. ^ "The Wild Samoans". WWE.com. 2007. Retrieved 2007-05-30. ...they debuted in WWE in 1979...The Wild Samoans joined with manager Captain Lou Albano as they ascended the tag division...[they] were two men of very few words, but of many quirks. They grunted, picked their noses, they ate raw fish...
  7. ^ "The Wild Samoans". OnlineWorldOfWrestling.com. Retrieved 2007-05-30. October, 1979: [The Wild Samoans] made their WWWF debut wrestling under the team name "Albano's Wildmen"...The Wild Samoans adopted a new, savage-like demeanor, which they never portrayed before joining the WWWF...Around this time period [Afa challenged] WWWF Champion Bob Backlund...
  8. ^ "The Wild Samoans". OnlineWorldOfWrestling.com. Retrieved 2007-05-30. 1981-82: The Wild Somoans wrestled in Bill Watt's Mid-South Wrestling...1982: The Wild Samoans had a brief stint in Jim Crockett's NWA: Mid Atlantic territory...1983: the Wild Samoans returned to the WWF...The Wild Samoans introduced [Samu], who temporarily replaced an injured Sika...
  9. ^ "The Wild Samoans". WWE.com. 2007. Retrieved 2007-05-30. Afa was not seen in WWE until returning in 1992 to manage The Headshrinkers...Samu is Afa's son, and partner Fatu is [his] nephew...The Headshrinkers terrorized WWE competition under the leadership of Afa, and captured the World Tag Team Championship on one occasion.
  10. ^ "The Wild Samoans". WWE.com. 2007. Retrieved 2007-05-30. Two more of their sons and trainees, Samula "Samu" Anoa'i (Afa) and Matt "Rosey" Anoa'i (Sika), were the ones to induct Afa [and] Sika into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2007.
  11. ^ "Afa's Corner". WildSamoan.com. 2006. Retrieved 2007-05-30.
  12. ^ Milner, J. "Dave Batista". Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved 2007-05-30. In early 1999, he began training at the Wild Samoans Training Camp in Allentown, Pennsylvania, led by Samoan Afa.
  13. ^ Milner, J. "Rosey". Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved 2007-05-30. After being trained by the Wild Samoans...
  14. ^ Milner, J. and Oliver, G. "Gene Snitsky". Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved 2007-05-30. He also spent some time with Samoan Afa's wrestling school and WXW promotion...{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  15. ^ Milner, J. "Umaga". Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved 2007-05-30. Umaga is actually Eddie Fatu, who began his wrestling career by training under Afa...
  16. ^ Duncan, R. and Will, G. (2004). "NWA Florida Tag Team Title History". Solie.org. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  17. ^ Duncan, R. and Will, G. (1998). "AWA Southern Tag Team Title History". Solie.org. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  18. ^ Duncan, R. and Will, G. (1999). "NWA National Tag Team Title History". Solie.org. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  19. ^ Duncan, R. and Will, G. (1998). "NWA Gulf Coast Tag Team Title History". Solie.org. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  20. ^ "International Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Title". Wrestling-Titles.com. 2003. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  21. ^ Duncan, R. and Will, G. (1998). "Mid South Tag Team Title History". Solie.org. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  22. ^ Duncan, R. and Will, G. (2007). "NWA Canadian Tag Team Title History". Solie.org. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  23. ^ "National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Title (Detroit)". Wrestling-Titles.com. 2003. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  24. ^ Royal Duncan & Gary Will (4th Edition 2006). Wrestling Title Histories. Archeus Communications. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |year= (help)
  25. ^ Duncan, R. and Will, G. (2005). "International Tag Team Title History". Solie.org. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  26. ^ Duncan, R. and Will, G. (2007). "WWWF/WWF/WWE Tag Team Title History". Solie.org. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  27. ^ Kapur, B. (March 6, 2006). "Body Slam a blast for Benedict". Canadian Online Explorer. Korean banker's hired goons, for example, are played with a perfect air of comedic menace by the Wild Samoans, Sika and Afa. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  28. ^ "Afa's Corner". WildSamoan.com. 2006. Retrieved 2007-05-30. Afa is active in USOs Foundation, Inc...Afa is also involved with many charities including: Special Olympics, DARE...

External links

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