Hall of Fame Inductee Passes Away at 81

WWE Hall of Famer Afa Anoa’i, brother of Sika Anoa’i and uncle to WWE superstar Roman Reigns, has passed away at the age of 81. A prominent member of the Anoa’i wrestling family, Afa’s death comes shortly after the passing of his brother in June.

Afa’s daughter, Vale, shared the heartbreaking news on social media, offering a touching tribute to her late father. “Today, all of our lives are irreparably changed. I love you so much, Dad. More than any words could ever express. Your strength was absolutely superhuman. You fought all the way to the end, and the end was peaceful. That’s all I could have hoped for,” she expressed.

She also revealed that Afa had been battling several health issues for months, having suffered two heart attacks in January and facing additional complications which led to his placement in hospice care.

“I’ve been preparing to say goodbye to my Dad since January, when he had those two heart attacks. I was prepared to say goodbye to him in March when he fell and broke his back in two places and had to have major surgery. I was prepared to say goodbye to my Dad when he had his heart valve replacement surgery,” she added.

Afa and Sika were well-known as the Wild Samoans tag team during the pre-Wrestlemania era. They made several appearances in WWE/WWF throughout the ’70s and ’80s. While Sika took part in a battle royal at Wrestlemania IV in 1988, Afa returned in 1992 to manage his son, Samu, and his nephew, Fatu, as the Headshrinkers.

“The 3-count comes for us all, eventually, but you fought it all the way to the end. You kicked out more times than anyone else ever has. You are forever our undisputed champion,” Vale continued, emphasizing the deep respect and love she holds for her father. “You will be remembered, honored, missed and respected forever.”