Tonga Twins Making their Mark in the World of Female Wrestling

February 22, 2023

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Sisters Ashley and Steffanie Manukainiu are hoping to inspire young Pacific Islander women while taking on opponents in the wrestling ring.

The ‘Tongan Twins’ are also known as Kona and Kaoz and compete in America’s Women in Wrestling competition.

Kona and Kaoz were born to immigrant parents, they are second generation Tongans from Vallejo, California. Their path to adulthood wasn’t easy, as they had to harden themselves early on due to rampant gang violence in their neighborhood. Despite this environment, they found solace in each other and basketball.

The Tonga Twins started playing basketball at the age of six, and by high school they had a reputation for being the biggest and baddest on the court. However, they soon found their basketball careers in flux as the pressures of life overtook them. Shortly after high school, Kona stopped playing to raise her son and Kaoz went on to play college basketball, but eventually left to raise her twins.

After a long hiatus, The Tonga Twins yearned to reunite and dominate in sports once again. They noticed the lack of representation for Tongan women in wrestling, and became inspired to make a difference. After training with hall of famer Rikishi, and making waves on the independent wrestling scene, The Tonga Twins are ready to dominate WOW, and represent for Tongan women and girls all over.