Anoa'i Family Tree (Samoan Wrestlers)

The Samoan wrestlers require no formal introduction to the world of WWE and professional wrestling, as a whole. If you are a wrestling fan, then it’s very likely that every time you hear the word ‘Samoan’, you involuntarily hear the Rock cutting an electrifying promo, see The Usos dropping everybody down with superkicks, feel the terrifying presence of Samoa Joe or maybe you see Roman Reigns hitting the Superman Punch.

The Samoan wrestlers have contributed greatly to the pro wrestling world throughout the decades. From the tag team of Afa and Sika Anoa'I to the reign of the Tribal Chief, Samoan wrestlers have been a mainstay in the WWE programming as far as memory goes. Not only has this family provided so many great wrestlers to the world, but they also hold many records in WWE and have won a number of championships here. As the number of pro-wrestlers coming out of this family is substantial, a few fans tend to forget the count of these legends of the ring.

Also Read: The History, Members and Accomplishments of The Bloodline

Anoa’i Family Tree WWE

The Anoa’i family

The Anoa’i family is the most popular Samoan family, comprising Samoan dynasty wrestlers. They have imprinted their footprints on the pro wrestling world, mainly in WWE, and in the various NWA promotions around the world. Some of the most notable members of the Anoa’i family are Dwayne Johnson, Roman Reigns, The Usos (Jimmy and Jey Uso), Rikishi, Rosey, Umaga, Yokozuna, the Wild Samoans (Afa and Sika), and Peter Maivia. The members of the Anoa’i family (or as some people might call it – The Dwayne Johnson family and now the Roman Reigns family) formed several tag teams and stables within a variety of promotions and have held numerous championships. Some members of the family have played a major role in the pro wrestling business, especially The Wild Samoans, Yokozuna, The Rock, and Roman Reigns. The Wild Samoans were a decorated tag team. Yokozuna was the first Samoan wrestler to become WWF World Heavyweight Champion.

The Rock helped lead WWF into the Attitude Era and was one of the biggest draws of all time. Roman Reigns has been established as the face of WWE since 2014. These Samoan wrestlers helped in revolutionizing and shaping pro wrestling as we see it today. The Anoa’i family consists of numerous Samoan wrestlers who fought in several wrestling promotions all around the world. The Samoan wrestlers of this family are related to one another and it can get difficult sometimes to follow their lineage systematically. The Samoan Family includes some of the most marketed wrestlers of all time. Since WrestleMania 28 (2012), there have only been three WrestleMania events that were not headlined by someone from the Samoan dynasty. Moreover, both the main events of WrestleMania Hollywood saw Samoan wrestlers walk in the night as undisputed champions - The Usos headlined Night One as the defending Undisputed Tag Team Champion, and Roman Reigns main evented the second night as the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion.

Also Read: What is the net worth of Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson?

The Wild Samoans (1975-1995)

The Samoan brothers Sika (Leati Sika Anoa’i Amituana’i) and Afa (Arthur Anoa’i Sr.) formed the tag team The Wild Samoans. They won 21 Tag Team Championships around the world throughout their illustrious career, chiefly in Mid-South Wrestling, the NWA promotions, and in WWE (WWF). The superstars rarely spoke and instead relied more on action. They were known for their hardcore gimmick and were genuinely 'Wild' in their dealings. Biting opponents and eating raw fish were not an uncommon sites with The Wild Samoans in the ring.

The Wild Samoans made their WWF debut in January 1980 with Lou Albano as their manager. They held the WWF World Tag Team Championships thrice. They also wrestled for NJPW briefly after leaving WWF. Sika is the father of WWE superstar Roman Reigns. The Wild Samoans were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2007. Following Hell in a Cell 2020 where Roman Reigns beat Jey Uso, the two came out to celebrate Reigns' victory and acknowledge him as the Tribal Chief.

Yokozuna (1984-2000)

Rodney Agatupu Anoa’i was portrayed as a sumo wrestling champion representing Japan and wrestled under the name Yokozuna. Managed by Mr. Fuji, Yokozuna debuted on the October 31, 1992, episode of Superstars. Yokozuna was a 2-time WWF Tag Team Champion, 2-time WWF World Heavyweight Champion, and the winner of the 1993 Royal Rumble.

He was the first Samoan wrestler to hold the WWF World Heavyweight Championship and also the first Royal Rumble winner who received a World Championship match at the main event of WrestleMania as a result of a direct stipulation.

Yokozuna headlined both WrestleMania IX and WrestleMania X against Bret Hart for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship. Some of his notable feuds were with Bret Hart, Luger, Hulk Hogan, and Undertaker. Remembered as one of the greatest Samoan wrestlers of all time, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame posthumously in 2012.

Rikishi (1985-2007)

Solofa F. Fatu Jr. wrestled under the name Rikishi, which was the Japanese term for a sumo wrestler, similar to his cousin’s name “Yokozuna.” Rikishi joined the WWF in 1992 as a part of the tag team The Headshrinkers, along with his cousin Samu (Samula Anoa’i). His infamous signature maneuver, The Stink Face, brought him a lot of notoriety during the Attitude Era.

A member of the electrifying Dwayne Johnson Family of Samoan wrestlers, Rikishi was involved in multiple feuds throughout the Attitude Era, some of the notable ones of which were with Stone Cold Steve Austin, Triple H, Undertaker, and fellow Samoan wrestler The Rock. In WWE, he held the WWF Intercontinental Championship once and the tag team titles thrice. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2015. Rikishi is also the father of The Usos.

The Rock (1997-2004, 2011-2013, 2024)

Dwayne Douglas Johnson a.k.a The Rock is one of the greatest professional wrestlers in the history of the sport. He made his WWF debut on November 4, 1996, as Rocky Maivia on Monday Night Raw and after failing to win over the audience as a face, he turned heel, joining the stable The Nation of Domination in August 1997. Soon after that, Rocky Maivia became The Most Electrifying Man In Sports Entertainment – “The Rock” – and changed the landscape of professional wrestling forever. The Rock led the WWF into the Attitude Era and along with Stone Cold Steve Austin and their contemporaries, defeated WCW in the Monday Night Wars. The Attitude Era of WWE (WWF) was undoubtedly the best era in the history of the company and of pro wrestling as a whole.

The mere presence of The Rock in the arena changed its composure and its aura. A 2-time Intercontinental Champion, 5-time World Tag Team champion, 10-time World champion, and winner of the 2003 Royal Rumble, The Rock revolutionized WWF and caused a hike in ticket sales and TV ratings. The Rock main event was the most-bought PPV worldwide in WWE history (WrestleMania XXVIII), the most-bought PPV domestically in WWE history (WrestleMania X-Seven), the highest-rated Raw and SmackDown in history and was also a part of the highest-rated segment in WWE history. He is without a shadow of a doubt, the greatest Samoan wrestler of all time. Needless to say, there has never been, and will never be, another Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.

Umaga (2001-2009)

Edward Smith Fatu initially made his main roster debut as Jamal with his cousin Rosey in 2002 as the heel stable 3-Minute Warning. On the April 3, 2006, episode of Raw, Fatu returned with a new gimmick and was renamed as “Umaga,” a ruthless and destructive Samoan wrestler.

He had a winning streak against the majority of the Raw roster and he defeated the top superstars John Cena, Shawn Michaels, Triple H, and Kane during that period. Umaga was defeated 9 months later, by John Cena. Some of his major feuds were with Kane, John Cena, Bobby Lashley, Batista and CM Punk. He was a 2-time Intercontinental Champion.

The Usos (2008-Present)

Jimmy (Jonathan Solofa Fatu) and Jey (Joshua Samuel Fatu) Uso are arguably the best tag team in the world right now. The Usos wrestled in WWE’s developmental brand FCW in 2009 and then joined the main roster on May 24, 2010, along with their cousin Tamina Snuka. The 6-time WWE world tag team champions have marked their presence in the industry with their technical style, tag team abilities, and promo skills. One can always expect a classic when the Usos are involved in a match. The Usos are the sons of Rikishi and also the first cousins once removed from Yokozuna. The twin brothers of the Dwayne Johnson family are the nephews of Umaga. The Usos are also the cousins of Roman Reigns.

The Usos were a crucial part of the Anoa'i family's biggest union in WWE programming. After Roman Reigns beat Jey Uso in 2020, the two alongside Paul Heyman laid the roots of The Bloodline stable. Jimmy Uso and their younger brother Solo Sikoa also followed in their footsteps. The Bloodline is arguably one of the most successful factions of all time which saw Reigns hold on his championship for almost three years, The Usos won both the RAW and SmackDown Tag Team Championships and Sikoa won the NXT North American Championship.

Tamina Snuka (2010-Present)

Sarona Moana-Marie Reiher Snuka-Polamalu is a second-generation pro-wrestler (daughter of Jimmy Snuka) who wrestles under the name Tamina Snuka. She made her WWE Raw debut in May 2010 alongside her cousins The Usos. She has feuded with Natalya, AJ Lee, and Kaitlyn. She allied with Nia Jax and pursued the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship.

Nia Jax (2014-Present)

Nia Jax (Savelina Fanene) made her presence felt in the WWE’s Women’s Division the moment she stepped into the ring. Jax made her NXT debut in May 2015 and joined the main roster in July 2016. She showcased her dominance and feuded with the top women wrestlers of the company - Sasha Banks, Alexa Bliss, and Ronda Rousey. Nia Jax is a former WWE Raw Women’s Champion. She is the first woman wrestler of the Anoa’i family to have won the WWE Women’s Championship.

Roman Reigns (2010-Present)

Since 2014, Roman Reigns (Leati Joseph “Joe” Anoa’i) has been built up as the face of WWE and despite receiving some initial heat from the WWE Universe at the beginning of his push, he managed to win their favor and has been doing a great job as the Big Dog of the company. Reigns initially joined WWE’s developmental territory FCW in 2010 and later made his explosive main roster debut at the Survivor Series 2012 PPV, alongside fellow wrestlers Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose as a member of the faction The Shield.

His popularity had suffered greatly after his Royal Rumble win in 2015 but he has actually been extremely entertaining and has always managed to provide the fans with interesting and engaging matches. He has rightfully earned his spot as one of the great Samoan wrestlers. Reigns has held all the championships in the WWE, making him the 17th Grand Slam Champion. A member of the Dwayne Johnson family, he is the cousin of Yokozuna, Rikishi, Umaga, The Tonga Kid (Sam Fatu), and the first cousin once removed to The Usos and The Rock.

Reigns is one of the most decorated wrestlers and one of the biggest draws of all time. Only one rivalry has headlined three different WrestleMania main events, and that was between Reigns and Brock Lesnar. Further, Reigns is the only guy besides Lesnar to beat The Undertaker at WrestleMania. His reign as the Universal Champion from Payback 2020 made him the longest reigning world champion of the WrestleMania era as he went more than 1000 days without losing the belt.

Solo Sikoa (2021-Present)

Solo Sikoa made his debut in WWE's NXT brand during the Halloween Havoc episode on October 26, 2021. Sikoa is the younger brother to Undisputed Tag Team Champions The Usos, and the younger son of WWE Hall of Famer Rikishi.

After performing on WWE NXT for almost a year, Sikoa made his presence felt at WWE Clash at the Castle by helping Roman Reigns defeat Drew McIntyre in the main event. He would then join the Bloodline and the SmackDown roster. On the September 13, 2022, edition of NXT 2.0 First Anniversary, Sikoa emerged as a surprise opponent for Carlemo Hayes and defeated the same for the NXT North American Championship. He defended his title successfully three days later against Madcap Moss only to forfeit the Championship a few days later on the 20th September 2022 edition of NXT.

Sikoa played a significant role in the main event of WrestleMania 39 Night Two where he knocked out Cody Rhodes and helped Reigns retain his Undisputed WWE Universal Championship.

Thamiko T Fatu

Thamiko Fatu is the real brother of The Usos and Solo Sikoa. He is the son of Rikishi and his real name is Jeremiah Fatu. Fatu started wrestling on the independent circuit in 2023 and is expected by many wrestling pundits to soon make his WWE debut.

Anoa'i Family Championship and Accomplishments in WWE