Friday, December 4, 2009

Eddie Fatu, 1973-2009. R.I.P.

Professional wrestler Eddie Fatu died suddenly today of a heart attack. He was only 36 years old.

Fatu was better known to wrestling fans as Umaga. The Samoan Bulldozer was a main event wrestler in the WWE for several years. However, on two occasions, Fatu violated the WWE's Wellness Policy. When his latest violation took place this past June, the WWE terminated his contract when he refused to enter rehab. Whether this contributed to his death is not known for certain. Yet one cannot help but think he might still be alive if he had entered rehab.

Several days before his death, Fatu had been wrestling in Australia on a tour headlined by Hulk Hogan. Fatu was a part of the Anoa'i wrestling family. His uncles, Afa and Sika, wrestled as The Wild Samoans in the 1970s and early 1980s. His older brothers, Sam and Solofa, were also wrestlers. They were better known as The Tonga Kid and Rikishi, respectively. Fatu was also a cousin of Dwayne Johnson (a.k.a. The Rock.) He broke into the WWE earlier this decade with his cousin Matt Anoa'i. They wrestled under the names Jamal and Rosey, respectively. Together, they were known as 3 Minute Warning.

It's getting to a point where wrestlers live to old age if they reach 50.

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