In a move that’s less “passing the torch” and more “catching a hot potato,” Afa Anoa’i Jr., the scion of wrestling royalty and former WWE personality known as Manu, has heroically decided to take up the mantle of World Xtreme Wrestling (WXW). This comes just in the nick of time, as the legendary wrestling promotion, founded in 1996 by none other than Afa Anoa’i—yes, that’s Roman Reigns’ cool uncle—was about to shutter its doors forever on April 13, succumbing to the elder Anoa’i’s health challenges.
In a moment that could only be described as wrestling’s version of a Hallmark movie climax, Afa Jr. announced at a Battlefield Pro Wrestling event that he would not let the family empire crumble. Instead, he vowed to restore its former cable TV splendor in Pennsylvania, declaring, “WXW is coming home!” His statement instantly turned every wrestling fan’s heartache into hope, making tissues needless for tears and using them instead for celebratory confetti.
WXW, a spiritual sequel to the Trans World Wrestling Federation, has been more tied to Florida than an alligator to a swamp since 2007, thanks to its Wild Samoan Pro Wrestling Training Center roots. But before its Floridian days, it was a Pennsylvania staple, occasionally gallivanting to exotic locales like Alaska—because nothing says “extreme wrestling” like a suplex in subzero temperatures.
Afa Jr., no stranger to the wrestling world, graced the WWE stage from 2006 to 2009 before returning to WXW, where he seemingly collected titles like they were going out of style. Now, as the new head honcho, he’s poised to not only preserve his family’s legacy but also catapult it back into the cable spotlight. Wrestling fans, start your DVRs—WXW’s resurrection is set to be the comeback story of the year!