Siva afi gave Samoan MLB prospect his greatest weapon at the plate

Siva afi, the traditional Samoan fire knife dance, has helped shape one of the greatest strengths of Samoan baseball player Mulivai Levu, the hand-eye coordination that has put the UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles) standout on the path to the Major League Baseball Draft.

The 21-year-old first baseman is preparing for the 2026 MLB(Major League Baseball) Draft after a standout college career with the UCLA Bruins, where he became one of the top hitters in the country.

Levu, who was born in Irvine, California, and grew up in Huntington Beach, said years of performing siva afi helped improve his timing, focus, and ability to react quickly.

“I give all the credit for my hand-eye coordination to fire-knifing,” Levu said during an interview at the MLB Draft Combine.

“It’s helped me a lot.”