WWE legend Afa Anoa'i, uncle of wrestling star Roman Reigns, dies at age of 81 after months of health issues
- Afa's passing comes months after the death of his 'Wild Samoan' brother, Sika
- READ MORE: Sika Anoa'i, father of Roman Reigns, dies at the age of 79
Wrestling icon Afa Anoa'i, the uncle of former WWE champion and half of the former tag team duo known as 'The Wild Samoans' has died at the age of 81.
This comes just after his brother and fellow Wild Samoan Sika Anoa'i passed away in late June.
The news was confirmed by Afa Anoa'i's daughter, Vale, who posted on Twitter, '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. I love you so very much.'
Afa Anoa'i, one half of the wrestling tag team known as the Wild Samoans, has died at age 81
Afa and his brother Sika (who died this past June) won the WWF Tag Team title three times
Vale explained that he had been suffering from health issues lately, including two heart attacks and multiple major surgeries.
After leaving the Marine Corps, Afa Anoa'i began training with his cousin Rocky Johnson (father of Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson) and his uncle Peter Maivia before wrestling in his first match in 1971.
Two years later, his brother Sika joined him and they formed The Wild Samoans tag team together.
They joined the World Wrestling Federation in 1979, where they won the WWF World Tag Team Championship twice in their first stint with the company and three tag-team titles overall in the WWF/WWE.
After leaving the WWF, Afa began to train wrestlers alongside his brother.
They were both inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2007.
In addition to the WWF Tag Team Title, the Wild Samoans won the tag-team titles of eleven other wrestling promotions.
