Samu

Samula Fred Anoaʻi (born May 29, 1963) is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Samu.

He is best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation, World Championship Wrestling, Extreme Championship Wrestling, and New Japan Pro-Wrestling in the 1980s and 1990s.

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.

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.

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 Eddie "The Brain" 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.

When International Wrestling closed a few months later, Samu went looking for warmer weather.

While working in Montreal, Samu hung out with his cousin Solofa Fatu, who was working in the area as the friendly babyface "Prince Alofa".

When the Montreal territory closed up, the two cousins signed with the World Wrestling Council in Puerto Rico and became The Samoan Swat Team: Samu and Fatu.

The team adopted the “Samoan savage" gimmick that had made their fathers so well known and feared throughout the wrestling world, working barefeet and never spoke English on camera. The team became the first ever WWC Caribbean Tag-Team Champions on November 7, 1987, when they beat Invader I and Invader III. The duo held the titles for just over a month before dropping them to Mark Youngblood and Chris Youngblood before leaving the promotion.

Samu and Fatu next appeared in Texas, working for Fritz Von Erich's World Class Championship Wrestling promotion.

The storyline was that Buddy Roberts brought the team in to fight his fights against the Von Erich Family and former Fabulous Freebirds partner Michael Hayes.

The SST was given a big push right away; presented as an unstoppable force the team was even allowed to beat hometown heroes Kerry and Kevin Von Erich for the WCCW Tag-Team Titles on August 12, 1988.

The Samoans remained undefeated in WCCW until they came up against Roberts’ former partner Michael Hayes and Hayes’ new partner, “Do It To It" Steve Cox on September 12. The duo was not without the gold for long as they recaptured the title only four days later. Hayes and Cox beat the Samoan Swat Team for the title once again on October 15, 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. The Samoan Swat Team made their Pay Per View debut at AWA Superclash III, the first (and only) PPV that the American Wrestling Association ever presented. The Samoans successfully defended their WCCW Tag-Team titles against Michael Hayes and Steve Cox.

In the beginning of 1989, the Samoans left WCCW, forcing both tag-team titles to be vacated due to the sudden departure.

The Samoan Swat Team signed with World Championship Wrestling and was brought in as manager Paul E. Dangerously's replacements for the "Original" Midnight Express who had left the promotion.

The Samoans also took over the "Original" Midnight Express’ feud with the Midnight Express beating the team at Clash of the Champions VI on April 2, 1989.

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.

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 and holding it for just under 2 months.

In 1992, Samu and Fatu signed up with the World Wrestling Federation, managed by Samu's father Afa.

The team changed their name to the Headshrinkers but their gimmick remained the same, Samoan wildmen.

Rodney Anoaʻi also signed with the WWF but he was repackaged as "Yokozuna" and the family ties between him and the Samoans was not mentioned on air.

The team first made their presence known when they helped Money Incorporated beat the Natural Disasters to win the WWF World Tag Team titles. Early in their run with the WWF, the Headshrinkers feuded with the Natural Disasters and the recently formed High Energy.

They also made a headline appearance on the UWA's 16th anniversary show losing to Dos Caras, El Canek and Mil Máscaras.