Introduction
Peter Maivia was a Samoan-American professional wrestler, actor, and stunt coordinator. He was born on April 6, 1937, in American Samoa and passed away on June 12, 1982, in Hawaii. He was 45 years old at the time of his death.
Early Life and Career
Maivia began his wrestling career in 1960 at the age of 23. He worked for NWA Hawaii and other promotions in France and the United Kingdom. After spending his first twenty years in American Samoa, Maivia moved to New Zealand where he began competing as Prince Peter Maivia. He received training in New Zealand under the watchful eye of local wrestler and promoter Steve Rickard. Both in and out of the ring, Rickard taught the young Samoan a great deal about professional wrestling, and under his guidance, Maivia developed at an amazing rate.
Career
Maivia continued working mainly in Hawaii during most of his career. In 1968 he worked for International Wrestling Enterprise in Japan. From 1969 to 1975 he worked in NWA San Francisco, NWA Hollywood, WCCW, Houston Wrestling, and the AWA winning many championships in the process. Maivia was also a promoter for the National Wrestling Alliance in Hawaii.
Cause of Death
In 1981, Maivia was diagnosed with cancer. Despite advice from friends and family to seek medical attention for his symptoms, he reportedly disregarded them. He passed away on June 12, 1982, at the age of 45.
Conclusion
Peter Maivia’s death was a tragic end to a professional wrestler who had contributed so much to the sport. Although he is no longer with us, his legacy lives on through his work.
