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Posts Tagged ‘Eddie Fatu’

Pro wrestling lost another performer at far too young an age last week as we learned of the death of Umaga, otherwise known in real life as Eddie Fatu. The so-called “Samoan Bulldozer” came from a wrestling family and only a couple years ago was featured in one of the top matches at WrestleMania, in the Vince McMahon-Donald Trump “hair” match between Umaga and Bobby Lashley at WrestleMania 23.

Fatu was only 36 and had been released by WWE last June for having violated the company’s Wellness Program and refusing to enter rehab. Since then, he’d toned down his wrestling schedule and had just completed a tour of Australia in a group headed up by Hulk Hogan. His final opponent on that tour was Ken Anderson, known in his WWE days as Mr. Kennedy.

In an ironic but unrelated note, Mr. Kennedy was also the last person Eddie Guerrero wrestled prior to his own premature death by heart attack, back in 2005.

Fatu’s family includes Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, The Wild Samoans of 1980s fame, The Tonga Kid and Rikishi.

Umaga will be missed by fans who cheered and fans who boo’d him. He nearly always played a monster heel, even though off-stage he was a gentle, likable family man who made sure to look after his kids and take care of the at-home details like garage flooring.