18 Facts About Peter Maivia

Peter Maivia was the promoter of the National Wrestling Alliance member Polynesian Pro Wrestling in Hawaii.

Peter Maivia worked for NWA Hawaii, and in other places including France, and the United Kingdom.

Peter Maivia began competing, wrestling under the ring name Prince Peter Maivia.

Peter Maivia was trained in New Zealand by local wrestler and promoter Steve Rickard.

The title victory was impressive, however Peter Maivia's reign was extremely short, and he held the championship for just three days, with the championship returning to Rickard on August 6,1964.

The point had been made though, and from then onward, Peter Maivia enjoyed main-event status in the NWA's New Zealand territory.

Later in 1964, Peter Maivia followed up his previous success by winning the NWA Australasian Heavyweight Championship.

Peter Maivia became the new Australasian champion by defeating Kangaroo Kennedy, and he carried the belt for four years before finally losing it to Steve Rickard in 1968.

Peter Maivia continued working mainly in Hawaii during most of his career.

Peter Maivia joined the World Wide Wrestling Federation in mid-1977.

Peter Maivia was one of the company's biggest stars, working matches with many top wrestlers such as Superstar Billy Graham, Ivan Putski and Bob Backlund.

Peter Maivia turned heel for the first time in his career in 1978 on Backlund in a match against Spiros Arion and Victor Rivera.

Peter Maivia left the WWWF, which had now been renamed to the WWF, in 1981.

Peter Maivia wrestled in his last match in Hawaii in February 1982, defeating Victor Rivera in a singles match.

Peter Maivia retired on February 11,1982, due to his battle with cancer.

Peter Maivia was an actor, appearing in the fifth James Bond film, You Only Live Twice, where he played a driver who transports a disguised Bond to Osato headquarters.

In 1981, Peter Maivia was diagnosed with inoperable cancer, having reportedly ignored symptoms along with his friends and family's requests to see a doctor.

Peter Maivia was posthumously inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, along with his daughter's ex-husband Rocky Johnson, in 2008 by his grandson Dwayne Johnson, with the award being accepted on his behalf by his daughter Ata Peter Maivia-Johnson.