Afa Anoaʻi Jr.


Afa Anoaʻi Jr. is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances with the professional wrestling promotion WWE in the mid-2000s under the ring name Manu.

Professional wrestling career

World Xtreme Wrestling (1998–2006)

Anoaʻi began training as a wrestler under his father, Afa, and brothers, Lloyd and Samula He made his debut on August 28, 1998, at the age of 13, winning a battle royal in Austria. He attended Freedom High School, in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
He wrestled for the family promotion, World Xtreme Wrestling, where he formed a stable with his brothers, Samu and L.A. Smooth, known as the Sons of Samoa. He went on to win numerous championships.

World Wrestling Entertainment

Development territories (2006–2007)

In October 2006, Anoaʻi received a try-out with World Wrestling Entertainment, held at the Deep South Wrestling development territory. Later that month, Anoaʻi officially signed with WWE, going under his father's ring name, "Afa". He went on to wrestle for Deep South Wrestling. He initially was introduced as part of the stable Urban Assault, initially composed by leader Sonny Siaki, Eric Perez and G-Rilla, but they expelled the last of them due to a loss against The Gymini. Afa replaced him until Urban Assault dissolved when Afa and Siaki abandoned Perez during a match against Freakin' Deacon and G-Rilla. Siaki and Afa rechristened themselves The Samoan Fight Club. Anoaʻi then wrestled for WWE's new developmental territory, Florida Championship Wrestling, where he continued teaming with Siaki under their Samoan Fight Club name. Their team was disbanded, however, when Siaki was released from his contract due to family issues on September 15, 2007. In October 2007, Afa Jr. defeated Harry Smith by countout, to become the new FCW Heavyweight Champion. In September, Afa Jr. began to work matches in Ohio Valley Wrestling, forming a tag team with fellow Samoan family member Matt Anoaʻi and their team was dubbed the Sons of Samoa; this was also a stable that Afa Jr. formed while he still wrestled in World Xtreme Wrestling.

Main roster (2007–2009)

On November 19, 2007, Anoaʻi made his debut on WWE television under the name Mai Tai Anoaʻi in a losing effort against Jim Duggan at the Heat tapings. Anoaʻi was later suspended by WWE for 30 days, on March 20, 2008, for violating WWE's Wellness Policy. At Unforgiven, Anoaʻi made his debut on the full-time roster under the name "Manu". He aligned himself with Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase, by attacking Cryme Tyme after their World Tag Team Championship match. Later that night, the three of them helped Randy Orton attack the World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk and Kofi Kingston. On the edition of September 8 of Raw Manu, Rhodes and DiBiase defeated Cryme Tyme and Kofi Kingston in a six-man tag team match. On the November 17 episode of Raw, he made his singles debut in a losing effort against Batista. During this time, Rhodes, DiBiase and Manu entered a storyline with Randy Orton where Orton constantly criticized and insulted them, and attacked DiBiase on November 3, on Raw. Manu and Rhodes accepted Orton's offer for an alliance in the following weeks, and the trio dubbed themselves "The Legacy".
After Orton grew tired of The Legacy losing matches, he scheduled a test for each member on the December 29 episode of Raw; however, Manu failed to pass his test after he lost to the ECW Champion, Matt Hardy, and was kicked out as his former companions Rhodes and Sim Snuka turned their backs on him. Later Snuka also got kicked out of the group, and the two quickly reunited. They planned to get their revenge on Orton and Rhodes on the January 12, 2009, episode of Raw, with the aid of the returning Ted DiBiase, but DiBiase betrayed them, and joined The Legacy with Orton and Rhodes.
Anoaʻi was released from his WWE contract on February 23, 2009.

Independent circuit (2009–present)

On April 18, 2009, Anoaʻi returned to the independent circuit at a World Xtreme Wrestling show. He reformed the Sons of Samoa tag team with Samu, and the pair competed as a tag team throughout the rest of 2009. In late 2010, Anoaʻi also competed for the Belgian Catch Wrestling Federation and NWA Dawg Pound. On February 9, 2013, Afa Jr. and L. A. Smooth, as The Sons of Samoa, won the WWC World Tag Team Championship. They lost the titles at Camino a la Gloria, on March 30, 2013. However, they won the titles on June 29, 2013, at Summer Madness. They lost the title at WWC 40 Aniversario to Chicano and Abbad. They regained the titles again on November 16, 2013, at Crossfire. However, they lost the title ar Euphoria Day 2 against Xix Xavant and Chicano.
Regional Championship Wrestling event Rumblemania 9 in Reading, PA. on March 15, 2014. Manu w/RC beat Rob Noxious in a respect match. This was a hardcore match that ended up going all over the building, after match Manu shook hands with Noxious & beat up his manager RC.
Since 2014, Afa has been attached to Pennsylvania Premiere Wrestling in Hazleton Pa capturing the promotions Heavyweight Championship and its No Limits Championship! Afa captured the PPW Title from his nephew Lance Anoa'i and retained the title against contenders like Danny Maff and Samoa Joe. Recently, Afa defeated Al Snow at the December PPW Event to retain the PPW No Limits Title.
In July 2017 he appeared on an NWA card in Morgan City, Louisiana, where he was defeated by NWA North American heavyweight champion Mustang Mike.

Personal life

Anoaʻi is a member of the Anoaʻi family, a Samoan family of wrestlers. He is the son of Afa Anoaʻi and the younger brother of Samu and L.A. Smooth. He is related to Roman Reigns, The Rock, The Usos, Yokozuna, Umaga, Rikishi among others. He has Samoan tattoos on his arms.
Anoaʻi attended Freedom High School, where Coach Jim Morgans described him as "the best defensive lineman I've coached." As a senior, Anoaʻi was named one of the 100 best football players in the United States by analyst Tom Lemming. Upon graduation from Freedom, Anoaʻi attended Fork Union Military Academy as a post-graduate to study and play football. He played in the 2003 U.S. Army All-American Bowl. Upon graduating, Anoaʻi played football with the University of Connecticut Huskies for a year.
In August 2003, Anoaʻi was implicated as the getaway driver of a duo who committed an armed robbery in Bethlehem Township, Pennsylvania, stealing money and jewellery worth over $150,000 and stabbing the elderly female resident. Anoaʻi pleaded no contest to the charge of receipt of stolen property and was given two years probation.

Championships and accomplishments