Lance Anoa'i

Lance Sterling Anoa'i (born February 15, 1992) is an American professional wrestler. He is signed to WWE, where he performs on the NXT brand. He previously wrestled in Major League Wrestling (MLW), where he is a former MLW World Tag Team Champion, and in Pro Wrestling Noah. He is a member of the Anoaʻi family.

Early life

Lance Anoaʻi was born in Allentown, Pennsylvania. His father Samula worked in the World Wrestling Federation under the ring name Samu as a member of The Wild Samoans and The Headshrinkers. His uncles are Afa Anoaʻi Jr. (better known as Manu) and Lloyd Anoaʻi (better known as L.A. Smooth).

Professional wrestling career

Independent circuit (2010–2024)

Anoaʻi debuted on April 3, 2010 winning a match for a show promoted by the National Wrestling League vs. Chrono Chris in Martinsburg, West Virginia. He was in World Xtreme Wrestling which is owned by his grandfather, Afa Anoaʻi. He often was involved in matches with his kins Samu, Afa Jr. and Sean Maluta.

Anoaʻi wrestled for Maryland Championship Wrestling (MCW), debuting in August 2012. He made his debut for Pro Wrestling Syndicate (PWS) in 2012. At Supercard 2013, Anoaʻi was involved in a battle royal for the number-one contender for the PWS Heavyweight Championship on Night 1 and on Night 2, he had a match with Sonjay Dutt. Anoaʻi competed for the PWS Tri State Championship in a Six Way Match at PWS Return to Rahway on September 20, 2013, that included Craven Varro, Starman, Facade, Pat Buck and The Drunken Swashbuckler. At the Shane Shamrock Memorial Cup 2013, he fought Luke Hawx on August 10, 2013, and lasted until the semi-finals.

In 2013, he made his first of many appearances in House of Hardcore (HOH). In April 2019, he won the 23rd annual East Coast Wrestling Association (ECWA) Super 8 Tournament.

Major League Wrestling (2018–2023)

On March 3, 2018, he made his debut with Major League Wrestling (MLW) at their event "Spring Break". In the match, he lost to Maxwell Jacob Friedman. In July 2018 he participated in the first-ever Battle Riot at the namesake event, which was won by Tom Lawlor. In October 2018, he started teaming with his father Samu in MLW as The Samoan Island Tribe. In early 2019 he would feud with Rich Swann resulting in losses in singles and tag team matches. In April 2019, he competed in the second Battle Riot, again unsuccessfully.

On January 7, 2023, Anoa'i as a member of The Samoan SWAT Team with Juicy Finau defeated Hustle & Power ( EJ Nduka and Calvin Tankman) for the MLW World Tag Team Championships at MLW Blood and Thunder. On July 8 at Never Say Never, Anoa'i and Finau lost the titles to The Calling ( Akira and Rickey Shane Page), ending their reign at 182 days. On October 29, Anoa'i announced on X that he was granted his release from MLW.

Pro Wrestling Noah (2023)

On June 22, 2023, Anoa'i was announced as participant in the N-1 Victory 2023.

WWE

Sporadic appearances (2015, 2017, 2019)

On the January 2, 2015 edition of WWE SmackDown, Anoaʻi made his WWE debut as an enhancement talent, teaming Rhett Titus in a losing effort against The Ascension. On February 1, 2017, he and Titus appeared at a WWE NXT event against The Authors of Pain, where he would lose. This appearance was related to a tryout he was having with WWE. In April 2019, he fought at another WWE tryout. Anoaʻi made another appearance on the May 27, 2019, show of ''WWE Raw'', where he faced Shane McMahon, and eventually losing the match by submission after Drew McIntyre attacked him outside the ring, and was subsequently beaten down by McMahon and McIntyre after the match, until his cousin Roman Reigns made the save.

NXT (2025–present)

It was reported that Anoa'i has signed with WWE in the Summer of 2024 and has been assigned to its NXT brand. He has yet to make his debut due to an injury. In January 2025, Anoa'i will be in the list of WWE ID talents and he'll be part of the WWE Evolve roster.

Championships and accomplishments

*Battleground Championship Wrestling
**BCW Championship (1 time)
*East Coast Wrestling Association
**ECWA Super 8 Tournament (2019)
*Major League Wrestling
** MLW World Tag Team Championship ( 1 time) - with Juicy Finau
*National Wrestling League
**NWL Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
*''Pro Wrestling Illustrated''
**Ranked No. 324 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the ''PWI 500'' in 2024
*Atomic Championship Wrestling
**ACW Cruiserweight Championship (1 time)
*American Championship Entertainment
**ACE Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
*Belgian Wrestling School
**BWS Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
*Pennsylvania Premiere Wrestling
**PPW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
*World Xtreme Wrestling
**WXW Blast Television Championship (1 time, inaugural)
**WXW Elite Tag Team Championship (1 time) with - Bo Nekoda
** WXW Ultimate Heavyweight Championship (4 times)
**WXW Ultimate Hybrid Championship (5 times)
**WXW Television Champion (1 time)
**Samoan Legacy Cup Tournament (2018)
*Pro Wrestling eXpress
**PWX Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Anoa'i, Lance
Living people
Sportspeople from Allentown, Pennsylvania
American male professional wrestlers
American professional wrestlers of Samoan descent
Professional wrestlers from Pennsylvania
Anoaʻi family
1992 births
MLW World Tag Team Champions