Afa Anoa’i, one-half of the iconic Wild Samoans tag team, has sadly passed away at the age of 81.
His son, Samu Anoa’i, shared the heartbreaking news on Facebook, stating: “It is with the deepest regret that we announce the passing of my father, Afa Anoai Sr. He passed away peacefully, surrounded by loved ones. Please respect our privacy as we mourn our father.”
Afa embarked on his professional wrestling journey in the early 1970s, following the legacy of family members like Rocky Johnson and “High Chief” Peter Maivia. Alongside his brother Sika, he formed The Wild Samoans, a duo that gained fame in Stampede Wrestling and various NWA territories before joining WWE (then WWF) in 1979. The Wild Samoans left the WWE in 1980 but returned in 1983 for another stint. After departing again in 1984, Afa rejoined WWE in 1992 as the manager of The Headshrinkers, before leaving once more in 1995.
Throughout their illustrious career, The Wild Samoans captured multiple titles, including three WWE World Tag Team Championships and two Stampede Wrestling Tag Team Championships, among many other honors. Their contributions to wrestling were recognized when they were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2007.
Tragically, Afa’s brother and tag team partner, Sika, passed away earlier this year in June.
The team at Thisis50 extends our deepest condolences to the friends and family of Afa Anoa’i during this difficult time.
