Umaga (wrestler)

Umaga
Umaga in May 2009
Birth nameEdward Smith Fatu
Born(1973-03-28)March 28, 1973[1][2]
American Samoa[3]
DiedDecember 4, 2009(2009-12-04) (aged 36)
Houston, Texas, U.S.[4]
Cause of deathHeart attack
Spouse(s)
L.T. Fatu
​
(m. 2001)​
[3]
Children4, including Zilla Fatu
FamilyAnoaʻi
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)Armageddon 1
Eddie Fatu[5]
Ekmo
Ekmo Fatu[1]
Jamal[1]
Uso Fatu
Umaga
Billed height6 ft 4 in (193 cm)[6]
Billed weight350 lb (159 kg)[6]
Billed from"The Isle of Samoa"[6]
Trained byAfa Anoaʻi[1]
Debut1995

Edward Smith Fatu[3] (March 28, 1973 – December 4, 2009) was an American professional wrestler, best known for his time with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) under the ring name Umaga. Fatu was also known for his time with All Japan Pro Wrestling in the mid-2000s, where he was a main eventer under the ring name Jamal.

He was a member of the Anoaʻi family, a renowned Samoan wrestling family. During his first stint with WWE billed as Jamal, he was part of tag team 3-Minute Warning, with his cousin Matt Anoaʻi, billed as Rosey. He was released from the company in June 2003, later going to All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) and becoming a mainstay for the company from late 2003 to 2005. In April 2006, Fatu returned to WWE under the ring name Umaga. Fatu went undefeated on the Raw brand throughout the year before finally suffering his first defeat in January 2007 at the hands of then WWE Champion John Cena. The following month, he won the WWE Intercontinental Championship for the first time, and won it for the second time in July 2007. He also appeared in the "Battle of the Billionaires" WrestleMania 23 match as Mr. McMahon's representative. He was released by WWE in June 2009 and wrestled on the independent circuit until his death in December of that year.

  1. ^ a b c d Cite error: The named reference slambio was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Death was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b c Grinberg, Emanuella (December 5, 2009). "Wrestler 'Umaga' Edward Fatu dies of heart attack, friend says". CNN. Turner Broadcasting System. Archived from the original on November 26, 2022. Retrieved July 4, 2013.
  4. ^ Emanuella Grinberg (December 6, 2009). "Wrestlers grapple with problems in, out of the ring". CNN. Retrieved December 6, 2009.
  5. ^ Kreikenbohm, Philip. "Umaga " Wrestlers Database " CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database". www.cagematch.net. Retrieved November 24, 2017.
  6. ^ a b c "Umaga". WWE. Retrieved March 18, 2012.