Anoa'i family

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article does not cite any references or sources. (May 2007)
Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed.

The Anoa'i family, originating from Samoa, is a legendary family of wrestlers in the eyes of many^[who?] (some stating as much talent as the Harts and the Von Erichs), and have many members who are professional wrestlers.

[edit] Family members

The founders of the family, Reverend Amituanai Anoa'i and his wife Tovale, had four children: three sons, Afa, Junior, and Sika; and one daughter, Vera, who died April 26, 2008.

Afa and Sika became wrestlers, forming the tag team the Wild Samoans.

Afa's three sons are all wrestlers — Samula (best known as Samu), Afa Jr. and Lloyd (best known as L.A. Smooth). His daughter Monica Anoa'i is the widow of wrestler Gary Albright.

Junior is the father of the late Rodney Anoa'i, known best under his WWF moniker Yokozuna.

Vera married Solofa Fatu and gave birth to three sons, who all would become wrestlers: Sam Fatu (known as Tama and Tonga Kid), Solofa Fatu Jr. (as Fatu and Rikishi and Junior Fatu ) and Eddie Fatu (known as Jamal and Umaga).

Sika's older son Matt Anoa'i is wrestling under the name Ro'Z, while his younger son Joe played football for Georgia Tech and was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Minnesota Vikings.

Afa and Sika's father considered Peter Maivia his "blood brother", a connection that continued to Afa and Sika, who regard Peter as their uncle. Peter Maivia and his wife Lia Maivia had a daughter, Ata Maivia, married wrestler Rocky Johnson. The couple became the parents of Dwayne Johnson, better known as The Rock. Peter Maivia's youngest son Toa is in training to wrestle. Maivia's oldest son Peter Fanene Jnr is in the real estate business.

Hollywood stuntman Tanoai Reed (aka Toa on the new American Gladiators) is the great nephew of wrestling promoter Lia Maivia (Peter Maivia's wife)

Boxer David Tua, actor Solo Siaopo are also related to the Anoa'i family.^{[citation needed]}}

Linked to the family by marriage but not actually a blood relative is wrestler "Superfly" Jimmy Snuka. Snuka's son Jimmy Snuka Jr. now wrestles for SmackDown! as Deuce of the tag team Deuce 'N Domino.

In an Article in Pro Wrestling Illustrated Samoa Joe claims to share a distant ancestor with the Anoa'i family, but well before Reverend Amituanai Anoa'i, so he is not a member of the family.^{[citation needed]}