Lia Maivia, The Rock’s grandmother, was a trailblazing female promoter in the world of professional wrestling.
After her husband, Peter “High Chief” Maivia, passed away in 1982, she took charge of Polynesian Pro Wrestling in Hawaii, a territory of the National Wrestling Alliance.
One of her notable accomplishments was organizing the successful event “A Hot Summer Night,” which featured wrestling legends like Andre the Giant, Ric Flair, and her son-in-law, Rocky Johnson, and drew a crowd of over 20,000 people.
Even though Maivia passed away in 2008, she will be recognized posthumously in the Hall of Fame alongside her husband. The Maivias are widely respected as the matriarch and patriarch of the renowned Anoa’i wrestling family, which includes legendary names such as Rocky Johnson, Rikishi, Roman Reigns, and Jimmy and Jey Uso.
The Rock, Dwayne Johnson himself, has acknowledged the profound impact of Lia Maivia’s legacy. He portrayed her character in the NBC comedy series “Young Rock,” loosely based on his own life, shedding light on her pioneering role as a female wrestling promoter and the obstacles she overcame.
The Rock recently shared with NBC news:
“She was one of the first ever female wrestling promoters and operated her business out of HAWAII with an iron fist and some violence when she felt it was necessary,” he wrote. “Her tough business practices caught up with her as she was indicted by the FBI on extortion charges.”
Although Maivia was eventually acquitted, Johnson mentioned that the FBI later accused her of illegal immigration, froze her assets, and deported her.
The Rock ensured her well-being by providing housing and support until her passing.
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