Cocoa Samoa
Cocoa Samoa was an American Samoan professional wrestler born Ulualoaiga Onosai Tuaolo Emelio on March 9, 1945, in Pago Pago, American Samoa. He trained in martial arts in Japan and began wrestling there, using several ring names including Cocoa Samoa, Sabu the Wildman, High Chief Onasahi, Tami Samoa, The Black Ninja, and Jack Snuka. He was billed at 5 ft 11 in and 238 lb, with his wrestling career starting in 1976 and ending in 1997.
In his career, he had several notable moments. On November 15, 1982, wrestling as Sabu the Wildman, he teamed with Jimmy Hart to defeat Jerry Lawler in a handicap match for the AWA Southern Heavyweight Championship; Hart pinned, but Sabu was recognized as champion, though he lost the title to Terry Taylor two weeks later. In the mid- to late 1980s, he wrestled in World Wrestling Council and Championship Wrestling from Florida, and later performed for NWA Pacific Northwest Wrestling under the Cocoa Samoa name. In 1986, he traded the NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Championship with Rip Oliver, holding it once, and he captured the NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Championship three times between 1986 and 1987 with partners Brady Boone, Ricky Santana, and Mike Miller. He also had a feud with Jimmy Snuka in the Northwest and took a hiatus after 1988. He returned in 1994 to wrestle in Puerto Rico, then worked on the independent circuit and with All Pro Wrestling in California until his retirement in 1997.
Outside the ring, Samoa started a janitorial company to help homeless people and did publicity work for motorcycle companies with cross-country rides. He spent time in prison after working as a money collector for a drug dealer; after his release, he became a preacher visiting inmates to spread Christianity. He estimated he fathered 11 children with nine women. At the time of his death, he was married to Esperanza and had five sons, three daughters, 31 grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. He was friends with wrestlers such as Harley Race and Antonio Inoki and was especially close to Jimmy Snuka, who he considered a brother.
Cocoa Samoa died on January 9, 2007, in Killeen, Texas, at the age of 61.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 05:23 (CET).