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WWE legend Afa Anoa'i's passing away shook the pro-wrestling world recently, prompting veterans and stars alike to pay their respects. Hall of Famer Teddy Long also spoke about the tragic incident, recalling his interactions with Afa.
Afa and Sika were a major part of the Stamford-based promotion back in their time, most notably wrestling as The Wild Samoans in the late 1970s. The duo won several titles over the years, including the World Tag Team Title three times. Apart from the in-ring achievements, Afa also touched a lot of lives through various means of helping the business.
The WWE Hall of Famer spoke on Sportskeeda's The Wrestling Time Machine, hosted by Mac Davis, and recalled his interactions with Afa and Sika.
"I had a chance to meet them (Afa and Sika) and I always used to go down to Pensacola to see Rikishi all the time and that's where they were. They lived in Pensacola. So like I said I knew them when I first started breaking in man. They always you know, gave me respect. I always respected them, and those Afa and Sika were two other people that when I'd see them on a signing I would go out of my way to go say hello to them. " [6:23 onwards]
Bill Apter also spoke about the WWE legend
Veteran journalist Bill Apter was apparently very close to Afa Anoa'i and his family. Bill spoke about the tragic incident as well, alongside WWE Hall of Famer Teddy Long.
Speaking on the same episode of Sportskeeda's The Wrestling Time Machine, Apter recalled how he used to visit Afa and Sika's training camp with his son. He said:
"Afa was a performer, a producer, a director, a writer, a trainer, a coach, he did everything in the business. He was fully invested in the business. He trained so many people, Batista, Yokozuna, all his boys, Sam Fatu, Afa Jr, LA Smooth. I used to go up to the Wild Samoan Training camp in Allentown Pensylvania with my son. My son was 8 or 9 years old and Afa let him get in there, and slam all the big guys." [4:42 onwards]
We at Sportskeeda extend our deepest condolences to Afa Anoa'i and his family.
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