Early career (1981–1983) Anoaʻi had his first professional match at age 14 under the supervision of his father Afa and his uncle
Sika. He later ended up going pro in 1981 at age 17.
World Wrestling Federation (1983–1984) In 1983, Anoaʻi began appearing in the
World Wrestling Federation (WWF) when Sika (part of the reigning
WWF Tag Team Champions) was injured on March 12, 1983. Known simply as "Samula", he helped
The Wild Samoans defend the tag team championship a handful of times while Sika recovered. After Sika returned, Samula remained in the WWF, backing up his father and uncle. In January 1984, he received a match with former
WWF World Heavyweight Champion Bob Backlund, but ended up losing by disqualification. It was around this time he started being announced as Samu instead of Samula, though
Gorilla Monsoon still referred to him as Samula. During the summer of 1984, Samula turned face after the Wild Samoans left the WWF. Samula twice teamed with
Hulk Hogan during WWF's tours in Japan, both times facing Japanese legends
Antonio Inoki and
Tatsumi Fujinami. These matches were among the last matches Samula wrestled in the WWF before leaving in January 1985.
Various promotions (1984–1989) After the WWF Samula joined up with
Gino Brito and
Dino Bravo's
International Wrestling territory based in
Montreal. In Montreal, he was given the name
The Great Samu and was managed by
Floyd Creatchman, who used the Samoan to target the top
faces in the territory. He eventually feuded with the top babyface in the territory, Dino Bravo, defeating him for the International Heavyweight Championship on June 30, 1986. Samu held on to the title until November 3, 1986, when he was beaten by
David Schultz. 1988 but this time they only held the gold for two days before they lost it back to the SST. On September 12, 1988, The Samoan Swat Team became double champions as they beat
"Hollywood" John Tatum and
Jimmy Jack Funk for the
WCWA Texas Tag Team Championship. In the beginning of 1989, the Samoans left WCCW, forcing both tag-team titles to be vacated due to the sudden departure. At
The 1989 Great American Bash the Samoans teamed with former rival Michael Hayes,
Terry Gordy and
Jimmy Garvin losing a
War Games Match to
The Road Warriors, the Midnight Express and
Steve Williams. In the fall of 1989, Paul E. Dangerously was phased out and the Samoans were given a new manager: "The Big Kahuna"
Oliver Humperdink. Their ranks were also bolstered by the addition of
The Samoan Savage who is Fatu's brother. The Samoans started to lose more and more matches as 1989 drew to a close, but their fortunes appeared to be changing due to the injury to
Sid Vicious. Because Vicious was injured
The Skyscrapers had to pull out of the "Iron Team Tournament" at
Starrcade 1989 and the Samoan Swat Team were chosen to be their replacements – Fatu and the Samoan Savage with no explanation of why the more experienced Samu was not chosen. For the remainder of the Samoan Swat Team's time in WCW Fatu and the Samoan Savage competed under the name while Samu made a few singles appearances.
Various promotions (1990–1992) After leaving WCW in the summer of 1990 the Samoan Swat Team worked for a number of independent promotions in the US, Europe and Japan, often teaming up with family member
Rodney Anoaʻi who competed as "Kokina Maximus". The family worked for the
Universal Wrestling Association in 1991 with Fatu, Kokina and The Samoan Savage winning the UWA Trios Tag-Team titles They also made a headline appearance on the UWA's 16th anniversary show losing to
Dos Caras,
El Canek and
Mil Máscaras.
World Wrestling Federation (1992–1994, 1995-1996) In July 1992, Samu and Fatu signed up with the
World Wrestling Federation, managed by Samu's father Afa. Early in their run with the WWF, the Headshrinkers feuded with the Natural Disasters and the recently formed
High Energy. Between 1992 and the early part of 1994, the Headshrinkers maintained a position in the middle of the tag-team division, occasionally challenging for the titles and making sporadic PPV appearances feuding with teams like
The Smokin' Gunns and
Men on a Mission. The Headshrinkers assisted their relative Yokozuna in a casket match against
The Undertaker at the
1994 Royal Rumble. In April 1994 the Headshrinkers turned face and challenged then tag-team champions
The Quebecers, and with the addition of manager
Lou Albano the team won the gold on April 26, 1994. At
King of the Ring 1994 on June 19 the Headshrinkers successfully defended their tag-team titles against Yokozuna and
Crush. Their run with the titles came to a surprising end on an untelevised card on August 28 where they lost the titles to
Shawn Michaels and
Diesel. The title change happened just one day before they were scheduled to defend against
Irwin R. Schyster and
Bam Bam Bigelow. Soon after the title change, Samu left the WWF to recover from injuries and was replaced by
Sione. Samu would then work in the independent circuit. After being away from the spotlight for a while Samu returned to the WWF in 1995. Samu along with his cousin
Matt Anoaʻi were known as "The Samoan Gangster Party" with Samu being known as "Sammy the Silk" and Matt being "Big Matty Smalls". The two men did not wrestle for the WWF but watched Fatu from afar as the former Headshrinker tried to turn himself into a positive role model for kids on the street. The angle never went anywhere as the Samoan Gangster Party never got in the ring or confronted Fatu before he was repackaged and the whole angle was dropped.
Extreme Championship Wrestling (1996) In 1996 The Samoan Gangster Party worked for
Extreme Championship Wrestling feuding mainly with
The Gangstas in a short but intense war between the two "Gangsta" factions.
Later career (1996–2022) After leaving ECW Samu worked for a number of independent organizations both as a singles wrestler and alongside Matt Anoaʻi who worked under names such as
Matty Smalls and
Rosey. winning titles in WWC Samu also became a regular in his father's
World Xtreme Wrestling Promotion and has held the WXW World title five times. Samu won the New World Wrestling Undisputed Brass Knuckles Championship on October 28, 2006 and is a part-time instructor at his father's and uncle's “Wild Samoan Training Facility" On March 31, 2007, Samu and Rosey inducted The Wild Samoans, Afa and Sika into the
WWE Hall of Fame. On November 29, 2014 Samu and his son
Lance Anoaʻi teamed with former RAGE partner Quinn Magnum in a six-man tag match against Payton Graham, Stryder and Jack Pollock. Samu was also inducted into PWX's Circle Of Respect, its version of a hall of fame.
Retirement (2022–present) On February 10, 2022, Samu signed a "Legends" contract with WWE. He came out of retirement on April 5, 2024 teaming with his son, Lance, defeating the
Full Blooded Italians,
Little Guido and
Tommy Rich at BCW A Tribute To The Extreme 2 in Philadelphia. == Personal life ==