Afa Anoa'i, Jr.

Infobox Wrestler
name=Afa Anoa'i, Jr.


names=Manu
Afa Jr.
Mai Tai Anoa'i
height= height|ft=6|in=2
weight= convert|290|lb|kg st|abbr=on
birth_date = birth date and age|mf=yes|1984|10|6
death_date =
birth_place =Allentown, Pennsylvania
resides=
billed=Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania
trainer=Afa Anoa'i
Lloyd Anoa'i
Samula Anoa'i
debut=August 28, 1998
retired=|

Afa Anoa'i, Jr. (born October 6, 1984) is an American professional wrestler, currently contracted to World Wrestling Entertainment and competing on its Raw brand under the ring name Manu.

Career

World Xtreme Wrestling

Anoa'i began training as a wrestler under his father Afa and brothers Lloyd and Samula at the age of 13. He made his debut on August 28, 1998 at the age of 14, winning a battle royal in Austria. [ [http://www.wildsamoan.com/Afajr.htm Afa, Jr. at WildSamoan.com] ] He attended Freedom High School, in the Lehigh Valley region of 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

Developmental territories

In October 2006, Anoa'i received a try-out with World Wrestling Entertainment, held at the Deep South Wrestling development territory. Later that month, Anoa'i officially signed with WWE. He went on to wrestle for the now-defunct Deep South Wrestling, LLC. [ [http://www.pwmania.com/newsarticle.php?page=164240776 WWE signs Afa's son] ] Initially performing as part of the Urban Assault stable, which dissolved when Afa and leader Sonny Siaki abandoned their partner Eric Perez during a match against Freakin' Deacon and former Urban Assault member G-Rilla. Siaki and Afa rechristened themselves The Samoan Fight Club.

Anoa'i 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 September, Afa Jr. began to work matches in Ohio Valley Wrestling, forming a tag team with fellow Samoan family member Matt Anoa'i and their team was dubbed the Sons of Samoa; which is also a stable that Afa Jr. formed while he still wrestled in World Xtreme Wrestling. In October 2007, Afa Jr. defeated Harry Smith by countout (he was touring in the UK at the time), to become the new FCW Heavyweight Champion. [cite web|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/fcw/2007.html|title=October 16, 2007--Florida Championship Wrestling|accessdate=2007-12-26|publisher=Online World Of Wrestling]

Raw

On November 19, 2007, Anoa'i made his debut on WWE television under the name Mai Tai Anoa'i in a losing effort against "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan at the "Heat" tapings. [cite web|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/raw/071119.html|title=WWE Raw Results - November 19, 2007|date=2007-11-19|accessdate=2008-09-12|publisher=Online World Of Wrestling] Anoa'i was later suspended by WWE for 30 days, on March 20, 2008, for violating WWE's Wellness Policy.cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/inside/news/developmentaltalentsuspended|title=Developmental performer suspended for 30 days|date=2008-03-20|accessdate=2008-03-20|publisher=WWE] At Unforgiven, Anoa'i made his debut on the full-time roster under the name Manu.cite web|url=http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/PPVReports/2008/09/08/6698911.html|title=Scramble matches make for wild Unforgiven|date=2008-09-07|last=Bishop|first=Matt|accessdate=2008-09-26|publisher=SLAM! Sports] 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 September 8 edition of "Raw" Manu, Rhodes and DiBiase defeated Cryme Tyme and Kofi Kingston in a six man tag team match. [cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/archive/09082008/|title=Dangerous liaisons|date=2008-09-08|last=Sitterson|first=Aubrey|accessdate=2008-09-12|publisher=World Wrestling Entertainment]

In wrestling

*Finishing and signature moves:*Belly to back suplex lift dropped into an elevated neckbreaker slam:*Frog splash – WXW:*"People's Headbutt" (High-angle diving headbutt):*"Samoan Storm" (Spinning fireman's carry dropped into a wheelbarrow facebuster) – FCW:*"Storminator" (Standing side slam) – WXW:*Belly to belly suplex:*Moonsault:*Samoan drop:*Spin–out powerbomb:*Spear

*Nicknames:*The Samoan Storm

Championships and accomplishments

*Defiant Pro Wrestling:*DPW Heavyweight Championship (1 time) [cite web|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/other/2006-10.html | title=Independent Wrestling Results - October 2006 | accessdate=2008-07-04|publisher=onlineworldofwrestling.com]
*Florida Championship Wrestling:*FCW Southern Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
*Independent Superstars of Professional Wrestling [ [http://www.bodyslamming.com/other/afajr.html Afa, Jr. at Bodyslamming.com] ] :*ISPW Light Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
*Jersey Championship Wrestling:*JCW Television Championship (1 time)
*World Xtreme Wrestling:*WXW Cruiserweight Championship (2 times):*WXW Hardcore Championship (3 times):*WXW Heavyweight Championship (1 time):*WXW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Lucifer Grim:*WXW Television Championship (1 time)

Personal life

Anoa'i is a member of the Anoa'i family, a Samoan family of wrestlers. He is the son of Afa Anoa'i and the younger brother of Samula Anoa'i and Lloyd Anoa'i. He is also the cousin of Umaga and Rikishi, and a distant relative of Dwayne Johnson. He has Samoan tattoos on his arms.

Anoa'i attended Freedom High School, where Coach Jim Morgans described him as "the best defensive lineman I've coached." As a senior, Anao'i was named one of the 100 best football players in the United States by analyst Tom Lemming. Upon graduation from Freedom, Anoa'i 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, Anoa'i played football with the University of Connecticut Huskies for a year. [ [http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/pitt/20020625recruit0625p4.asp Recruiting: Pitt pins lineman, lures Virginia FB] ]

In August 2003, Anoa'i was implicated as the getaway driver of a duo who committed an armed robbery in Bethlehem Township, Pennsylvania, stealing money and jewelry worth over $150,000 and stabbing the elderly female resident. Anoa'i pleaded no contest to the charge of receipt of stolen property and was given two years probation. [ [http://gyxu.com/pro-wrestling/36-829-afa-wild-samoan-s-son-read.shtml Afa Wild Samoan's Son] ]

Notes

External links

* [http://www.wwe.com/superstars/raw/manu/ WWE "Raw" Profile]
* [http://www.myspace.com/samoanhusky Official Myspace]
* [http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/a/afa-jr.html OWW Profile]