Max Taogaga

Max Taogaga
Ring name(s)	High Chief Afi Jimmy Afi Max Tamboola Sivi Afi Superfly Afi
Billed height	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)[1]
Billed weight	240 lb (110 kg)[1]
Born	April 28, 1949 (1949-04-28) (age 62) Samoa
Resides	Apia, Samoa
Billed from	Samoa
Trained by	Steve Rickard Peter Maivia
Debut	1974
Retired	1997

Papaliitele Max Amata Taogaga (born April 28, 1949) is a retired Samoan professional wrestler, best known for his appearances in the World Wrestling Federation as Sivi Afi.

Wrestling career

Early career

Taogaga, born in Samoa, raised in New Zealand, where he began amateur wrestling at an early age. After deciding to turn pro he went to Steve Rickard and Peter Maivia who trained him for two years on the nuances of the professional game. In his first match Taogaga defeated one of New Zealand's top light heavyweights, Del Adams.

New Zealand (1974-1978)

For the next four years Taogaga continued to work his way up through the ranks, wrestling the majority of foreign visitors to the country. Finally in 1978 he earned his big break, defeating Big John Da Silva in the final of an elimination tournament to decide the new, New Zealand Heavyweight Champion. Over the next few months, Taogaga successfully defended the title before heading to the U.S. at the end of 1978.

Touring (1978-1984)

For the next seven years Taogaga split his time between the U.S., New Zealand, Australia and Japan. However, it was in Hawaii that Taogaga would be the most successful. It was here, in 1985, where he wrestled Ric Flair to a one hour time limit draw for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship in front of 12,000 people.

World Wrestling Federation (1986-1989/90)

In 1986, Taogaga signed with Vince McMahon's World Wrestling Federation (WWF). Taogaga wrestled consistently for two years, against the likes of Bret Hart, Randy Savage, Harley Race^[2] and Ted DiBiase. Initially, he was billed as "Superfly" Afi, and deemed to be the cousin of Jimmy Snuka. In 1988, after teaming for a short time with Haku as one half of The Islanders, he also wrestled in six man tags with the original Islanders, Haku and Tama. He debuted a new gimmick, that of "High Chief Afi", a Samoan chieftain. As part of his gimmick, Taogaga had gotten his legs and abdomen heavily tattooed (ala High Chief Peter Maivia). Unfortunately for Taogaga, it was all for naught; Tama would shortly thereafter depart from the WWF and Haku was repackaged as "King Haku" to replace the injured Harley Race, leaving Taogaga without a team or manager. Taogaga left the WWF and went on to work for Burt Reynolds as a stuntman and bodyguard.

Return to New Zealand

Taogaga made his return to New Zealand in 1990 to appear for Steve Rickard's "The Main Event". Taogaga defeated all comers during the short-lived show, becoming the new Commonwealth Heavyweight Champion in the process.

After the cancellation of "The Main Event", Taogaga resumed touring the world appearing in areas as far flung as Palestine, Israel, England and Africa.

In 1997, after over 23 years on the road, Taogaga retired from the business, wrestling his final match in South Africa.

Life after wrestling

Since retiring from professional wrestling, Taogaga has converted to Christianity. He studied to become a minister in Marion, Ohio. He has written two books, "Thus Said The Lord to America" and "Dance with Fire", and is working on a third, entitled "Reign of Fire."^{[citation needed]}

Championships and accomplishments

• All Star Pro Wrestling

• NWA British Empire/Commonwealth Heavyweight Championship (New Zealand version) (1 time)^[3]

• National Wrestling Alliance

National

• NWA North American Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

Regional

• NWA Hawaii Heavyweight Championship (1 time)^[4]
• NWA Pacific International Championship (1 time, last)^[5]
• NWA Polynesian Pacific Heavyweight Championship (1 time, first)^[6]

• NWA New Zealand

• NWA New Zealand Heavyweight Championship (1 time)^[7]

• Pro Wrestling Illustrated

• PWI ranked him # 384 of the 400 best singles wrestlers of the PWI's WWE Top 400 in 2003

• United States Wrestling League
  • USWL Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with King Kaluha^[8]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Profile at OWOW
2. ^ Non-title match, from the Wellington Town Hall in either 1979 or 1980.
3. ^ "British Empire/Commonwealth Heavyweight Title (New Zealand)". The Great Hisa's Puroresu Dojo. Wrestling-Titles.com. 2003. http://www.wrestling-titles.com/nz/allstar/nz-be-h.html. Retrieved 2010-05-30. 
4. ^ "Hawaii Heavyweight Title". The Great Hisa's Puroresu Dojo. Wrestling-Titles.com. 2003. http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/hi/hi-h.html. Retrieved 2010-05-30. 
5. ^ "N.W.A. Pacific International Title". The Great Hisa's Puroresu Dojo. Wrestling-Titles.com. 2003. http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/hi/nwa/pac-in-h.html. Retrieved 2010-05-30. 
6. ^ "Polynesican Pacific Heavyweight Title". The Great Hisa's Puroresu Dojo. Wrestling-Titles.com. 2003. http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/hi/poly/poly-h.html. Retrieved 2010-05-30. 
7. ^ "New Zealand Heavyweight Title". The Great Hisa's Puroresu Dojo. Wrestling-Titles.com. 2003. http://www.wrestling-titles.com/nz/nz-h.html. Retrieved 2010-05-30. 
8. ^ Royal Duncan & Gary Will (4th Edition 2000). Wrestling Title Histories. Archeus Communications. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4. 

External links

• Profile at OWOW

Persondata
Name	Taogaga, Max
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1949-04-28
Place of birth	Samoa
Date of death
Place of death