Peter Maivia
Peter Maivia
- Birth Name: Fanene Leifi Pita Maivia
- Born: April 6, 1937
- Died: June 12, 1982
- Nationality: American
- Occupation: Professional wrestler
Biography:
Peter Maivia was an American professional wrestler of Samoan descent. He was the first wrestler of Samoan heritage to achieve mainstream success in the United States. Maivia is best known for his work with the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) and the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF).
Maivia was born in Samoa but moved to Hawaii as a child. He began wrestling in high school and quickly gained a reputation for his strength and agility. In 1959, he made his professional wrestling debut in California. He quickly rose through the ranks and soon became one of the most popular wrestlers in the state.
In 1962, Maivia joined the NWA. He quickly became one of the top stars in the organization, winning the NWA World Tag Team Championship twice. In 1970, he left the NWA and joined the WWWF. He quickly became one of the most popular wrestlers in the company, and he was eventually inducted into the WWWF Hall of Fame.
Maivia retired from wrestling in 1979. He died of a heart attack in 1982 at the age of 45. He is the father of The Rock, one of the most successful wrestlers of all time.
Accomplishments:
- NWA World Tag Team Championship (2 times) - with Billy Watson
- WWWF Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Lou Albano
- WWWF Hall of Fame (Class of 1996)
Personal Life:
- Maivia was married to Ata Maivia. They had two children together, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Simone Johnson.
- Maivia was a devout Mormon.
- He died of a heart attack in 1982 at the age of 45.
