Afa Anoa ' i , Jr . Afa Anoa ' i , Jr . ( October 6 , 1984 ) is an America n professional wrestler of Samoan descent . He is best known for his work in World Wrestling Entertainment , where he competed on its Raw brand under the ring name Manu . Professional wrestling 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 . 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 ( 2006 – 2009 ) . Developmental territories ( 2006 – 2007 ) . 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 , going under his father ' s ring name , " Afa " . He went on to wrestle for Deep South Wrestling . 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 . Raw , The Legacy and departure ( 2007 , 2008 – 2009 ) . On November 19 , 2007 , Anoa ' i made his debut on WWE television under the name Mai Tai Anoa ' i in a losing effort against Jim Duggan at the " Heat " tapings . Anoa ' i was later suspended by WWE for 30 days , on March 20 , 2008 , for violating WWE ' s Wellness Policy . At Unforgiven , Anoa ' i 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 September 8 edition 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 . Anoa ' i was released from his WWE contract on February 23 , 2009 . Randy Orton later said that the reason Anoa ' i had been released " had a lot to do with his backstage attitude " , and stated that Anoa ' i " didn ’ t feel like he had to pay his dues " . Independent scene ( 2009 - present ) . On April 18 , 2009 , Anoa ' i returned to the independent circuit at a World Xtreme Wrestling ( WXW ) 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 , Anoa ' i also competed for the Belgian Catch Wrestling Federation and NWA Dawg Pound . 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 . 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 , Anoa ' 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 . 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 .