1. Home
  2. Profiles
  3. Afa The Wild Samoan

Afa The Wild Samoan

[Wild Samoans Gallery]
[Samoans Gallery]

Title History

  • NWA Florida Tag Team titles w/Sika defeating Eddie and Mike Graham (June 1, 1973);
  • NWA (Vancouver) Canadian Tag Team titles w/Sika defeating The Brute and Gene Kiniski (November 5, 1973);
  • NWA (Detriot) Tag Team titles w/Sika defeating Hank James and Mighty Igor (1975);
  • NWA (Detriot) Tag Team titles w/Sika defeating Hank James and Fred Curry (1975);
  • NWA (Gulf Coast) Tag Team titles w/Sika defeating Bobby and Ricky Fields (March 4, 1977)
  • AWA Southern Tag Team titles w/Sika (October 1977);
  • IWA World Tag Team titles w/Sika defeating Animal Hamaguchi and Great Kusatsu (January 5, 1978);
  • Stampede International Tag Team titles w/Sika defeating Carlos Colon and Gino Caruso ();
  • Stampede International Tag Team titles w/Sika defeating Benny Ramirez and Gil Hayes ();
  • NWA (Mid America) Southern Tag Team titles w/Sika defeated Pat Barrett and Norvell Austin ();
  • WWF Tag Team titles w/Sika defeating Ivan Putski and Tito Santana (April 12, 1980);
  • WWF Tag Team titles w/Sika defeating Tony Garea and Rene Goulet in a tournament (September 9,1980);
  • Mid-South Tag Team titles w/Sika defeating Junkyard Dog and Dick Murdoch (June 1981);
  • Mid-South Tag Team titles w/Sika defeating Junkyard Dog and Dick Murdoch (1981);
  • Mid-South Tag Team titles w/Sika defeating Junkyard Dog and Dick Murdoch (January 1982);
  • NWA National Tag Team titles w/Sika defeated The Fabulous Freebirds (August 29, 1982);
  • WWF Tag Team titles w/Sika defeating Chief Jay and Jules Strongbow (March 8, 1983);
  • NWA (Mid America) United States Tag Team titles w/Sika defeating Phil Hickerson and Dennis Condrey (January 1976);

Career Highlights

In The Beginning:

  • Afa joined the Marines at the age of 17.

Getting Into The Business – The Wild Samoans:

  • Early 1970s: The 1st person to ever draw blood on Afa was Jody Arnold, the regional heel on the Arizona circuit.
  • Afa was one half of the Wild Samoans with his brother Sika, whom he trained to wrestle.
  • May 24, 1975: Afa and Sika defeated Pez Whatley and Cowboy Allen in Akron, Ohio.
  • January 20, 1978 – IWE Japan: Animal Hamaguchi and Great Kusatsu defeated Afa and Sika to win the IWE tag team titles.
  • November 23, 1978 – Georgia Championship Wrestling: Rick Martel and Tommy Rich defeated Afa and Sika.

World Wrestling Federation – The Wild Samoans:

  • January 3, 1980 – WWF: Afa and Sika defeated Larry Zbyzsko and Mike Masters.
  • January 4, 1980 – WWF: Afa and Sika defeated Gorilla Monsoon and Dominic DeNucci.
  • February 14, 1980 – WWF: Afa and Sika defeated Larry Zbyzsko and Dominic DeNucci.
  • February 18, 1980 – WWF: Afa beat Rene Goulet.
  • March 18, 1980 – WWF: Afa and Sika defeated Rene Goulet and Dominic DeNucci.
  • March 24, 1980 – WWF: Afa defeated Dominic DeNucci.
  • April 15, 1980 – WWF: Afa and Sika defeated Tito Santana and Ivan Putski.
  • April 21, 1980 – WWF: Bob Backlund defeated Afa.
  • May 21, 1980 – WWF: Afa and Sika defeated Rene Goulet and Gorilla Monsoon.
  • June 16, 1980 – WWF: Afa and Sika defeated Ivan Putski and Dominic DeNucci.
  • July 3, 1980 – WWF: Afa and Sika defeated Pat Patterson and Gorilla Monsoon.
  • August 9, 1980 – WWF Showdown at Shea: Bob Backland and Pedro Morales defeated The Wild Samoans to win the Tag Team titles.
  • September 22, 1980 – WWF: Pedro Morales defeated Afa.
  • October 20, 1980 – WWF: Pat Patterson and Dusty Rhodes defeated Afa and Sika.
  • December 8, 1980 – WWF: Tony Garea and Rick Martel defeated Afa and Sika.
  • April 18, 1981 – Mid South Superdome: Dusty Rhodes and Andre the Giant defeated Afa and Sika.
  • July 4, 1981 – Mid South Superdome: Dick Murdoch and Junkyard Dog beat Afa and Sika to retain tag titles.
  • July 4, 1982 – NWA/WWF: Michael Hayes and Terry Gordy defeated Afa and Sika to retain Georgia National Tag titles.
  • November 25, 1982 – Georgia Championship Wrestling: Afa and Sika defeated Super Dragon and Great Kabuki.
  • January 10, 1983 – WWF: Afa and Sika defeated Tony Garea and Eddie Gilbert.
  • February 18, 1983 – WWF: Jimmy Snuka and Andre the Giant beat Afa and Sika.
  • March 20, 1983 – WWF: Rocky Johnson, Jimmy Snuka and Andre the Giant defeated Afa, John Studd and Lou Albano.
  • April 25, 1983 – WWF: Afa and Sika defeated Jay and Jules Strongbow.
  • May 23, 1983 – WWF: Jimmy Snuka defeated Afa.
  • June 17, 1983 – WWF: Jimmy Snuka, Rocky Johnson and Ivan Putski defeated Afa, Sika and Don Muraco.
  • July 11, 1983 – WWF: Afa and Sika defeated The Invaders.
  • July 23, 1983 – WWF Brawl to End it All: Afa the Wild Samoan defeated Rene Goulet.
  • July 30, 1983 – WWF: Dusty Rhodes and Ivan Putski and Andre the Giant defeated Afa and Sika and Samula.
  • November 21, 1983 – WWF: Afa and Sika defeated S.D Jones and Rocky Johnson.
  • December 26, 1983 – WWF: Afa, Sika and Samula defeated Tony Atlas, S.D Jones and Rocky Johnson.
  • December 30, 1983 – WWF: Afa, Sika and Samula defeated The Invaders and Tito Santana.
  • January 23, 1984 – WWF: Tony Atlas, Rocky Johnson and Andre the Giant defeated Afa, Sika and Samula.
  • February 20, 1984 – WWF: Afa defeated Tony Garea.
  • March 12, 1984 – WWF: Afa defeated Jay Strongbow.
  • April 25, 1984 – WWF: Rocky Johnson defeated Afa.
  • June 9, 1984 – Live Event: Afa defeated B. Brian Blair.
  • June 10, 1984 – Live Event: Afa defeated Salvatore Bellomo.
  • June 14, 1984 – WWF: Afa beat S.D Jones.
  • June 21, 1984 – Live Event: Afa defeated Spike Huber.
  • June 22, 1984 – Live Event: Afa defeated Jose Luis Rivera.
  • July 14, 1984 – MSG Network: The Wild Samoans (Afa and Sika) defeated Mr. Fuji and Tiger Chung Lee.
  • July 21, 1984 – Live Event: Afa defeated Pete Doherty.
  • July 22, 1984 – Live Event: Afa defeated John Bonello.
  • July 23, 1984 – MSG Network: Afa defeated Rene Goulet.
  • July 28, 1984 – USA Network: Afa defeated Rene Goulet in a dark match.
  • August 20, 1984 – Live Event: The Wild Samoans (Afa and Samula) defeated The Moondogs (Moondog Rex and Moondog Spot).
  • August 21, 1984 – Live Event: Afa defeated Moondog Spot.
  • August 30, 1984 – Live Event: Afa defeated Moondog Rex.
  • September 22, 1984 – MSG Network: Afa, Sika and Sgt. Slaughter defeated Adrian Adonis, Dick Murdoch and Lou Albano.
  • April 18, 1985 – AWA: The Wild Samoans (Afa and Sika) defeated King Tonga and The Masked Superstar.
  • April 19, 1985 – AWA: Afa and Sika defeated Steve Olonoski and Tom Zenk.
  • September 7, 1985 – ICW: Afa defeated David Schultz.

Afa in Hollywood:

  • Afa appeared in the 1987 wrestling movie “Body Slam” and is a member of the Screen Actor’s Guild.
  • Afa appeared in a 1987 episode of “Miami Vice”.
  • Afa had a brief appearance as himself in Hulk Hogan‘s “Mr. Nanny”.

Semi Retirement – The Wild Samoans:

  • January 30, 1988 – World Wrestling Council: Miguelito Perez defeated Afa to retain the WWC Puerto Rico Heavyweight Title.
  • February 27, 1988 – World Wrestling Council: Afa defeated Invader #3 in the 1st round. Afa defeated Rocky Johnson in the quarter-finals. Afa defeated Dutch Mantel in the semi-finals. Carlos Colon defeated Afa to win the La Copa Gillette.
  • May 21, 1988 – NWF: Afa and Rocky Johnson defeated Buddy Rose and Doug Somers.
  • September 10, 1988 – WWC Anniversary Show: Jimmy Valiant and Rufus R. Jones defeated Afa and Sika by DQ.
  • May 21, 1989 – TWWF: The Wild Samoans (Afa and Sika) defeated The Power Twins (David Power and Larry Power).
  • March 10, 1991 – UWF (Abrams): Afa defeated Carmine Albano.

World Wrestling Federation – The Headshrinkers:

  • June 11-12, 1993 – House Show: Afa & The Headshrinkers (Fatu & Samu) defeated Kamala & The Smoking Gunns (Bart Gunn & Billy Gunn).
  • March 11-13, 1994 – House Show: The Smoking Gunns (Bart Gunn & Billy Gunn) defeated Afa & Samu.
  • May 20-22, 1994 – House Show: Afa & The Headshrinkers (Fatu & Samu) defeated Johnny Polo & The Quebecers (Jacques & Pierre).
  • 1998: Afa resurfaced in the WWF as the manager of the Headshrinkers.
  • June 12, 1998 – WWF: Afa and The Headshrinkers defeated Kamala and Billy Gunn and Bart Gunn.

Semi Retirement – The Samoan Family:

  • Afa is the father of Samu (of “The Headshrinkers”), LA Smooth and Afa Jr.
  • Afa is the uncle of Rosie and Jamal (of “3 Minute Warning“), Yokozuna, Rikishi and The Rock.
  • Afa was the father-in-law of the late Gary Albright, a famous wrestling personality who died during a wrestling match.
  • Afa has said that his favorite wrestler is “Superfly” Jimmy Snuka.
  • Afa has trained Yokozuna, Rikishi (aka Fatu), Virgil/Vincent, Kanyon, Billy Kidman and others at the Wild Samoan Training Facility.
  • January 31, 2004: Afa Anoai’ had successful surgery on his back and gall bladder.

Semi Retirement – Afa the WWE Hall of Famer:

  • June 3, 1995 – IWA: Afa, Big Cheese, David Isley and Jimmy Valiant defeated Buddha, Gary Royal, Rick Link and The Assassin.
  • June 6, 1997 – ECPW: Doink The Clown defeated Afa.
  • August 15, 1997 – IWA Night Of The Legends: Afa, Disco Inferno, Gene Ligon, Sika and The Big Cheese defeated The Love Connection (George Love & Jay Love), Gary Royal, Kane Adams and Ken Timbs.
  • March 23, 2007 – SmackDown!: They announced that the Wild Samoans will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2007.
  • March 31, 2007 – Hall of Fame: The Wild Samoans were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame by their sons, Samu and Rosey.
  • April 1, 2007 – WrestleMania 23: The Wild Samoans and the other HOF inductees were introduced to the audience at Fords Field.
  • August 4, 2007 – Florida Championship Wrestling: Afa Jr. and Sonny Siaki w/Afa Sr. defeated Johnny Curtis and Robert Anthony.
  • April 20, 2013 – WXW: Afa, CJ O’Doyle, Nick Nero and Sean Maluta defeated The Prophesy (???, ???, ??? and ???).
  • March 1, 2014 – WXW C4: Afa, Afa Jr., Lance Anoai, LA Smooth and Samu defeated AC Anderson, Eric Cobian, Havoc, Homicide and Mustafa Aziz.
  • October 25, 2020 – Hell In A Cell: The Wild Samoans Afa and Sika (Reigns’ father) come out to the stage. They embrace Reigns and put a lei around his neck. The Wild Samoans acknowledge Reigns as the Tribal Chief.
  • August 16, 2024: Afa passed away at the age of 81, just 2 months after his tag team partner Sika passed away which is crazy.
Updated: August 20, 2024 @ 3:41 pm

Active Promotion Inactive

Trained By

Peter Maivia,
Rocky Johnson,
Kurt Von Steiger,
Ricky Thompson

Debut

1971 in Phoenix-May 22, 1994

Birthday

November 27, 1948

Hometown

Samoa
Moved to Pennsylvania

Gender

Male

Height

6'2"

Weight

326 lbs

Finishing Move(s)

Samoan Drop

Favorite Move(s)

Headbutt

Notable Feuds

Jody Arnold,
Bobby Mayne (Jaggers),
Mitri The Arabian Assassin,
Chuck Karbo,
Andre The Giant,
Jimmy Snuka,
Junkyard Dog

Status

Deceased