Sam Fatu Biography: Kids, Age, Wife, Net Worth, Parents, Siblings, Height, Family

Biography

Sam Fatu (born Samuel Larry Fatu, October 11, 1965, in San Francisco, California) is a celebrated American retired professional wrestler of Samoan descent, renowned for his contributions to the Anoa’i wrestling dynasty.

Trained by his uncles, the Wild Samoans (Afa Anoa’i and Sika Anoa’i), he debuted in 1983 at age 17 and quickly joined the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) as The Tonga Kid, feuding with stars like Roddy Piper.

He later returned as Tama, forming the tag team The Islanders with Tonga Fifita (Haku). Fatu also competed in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) as The Samoan Savage, teaming with family members in groups like the Samoan SWAT Team.

The brother of Rikishi and the late Umaga, he is related to wrestling icons including The Rock, Yokozuna, and the Usos.

Married to Theresa Fuavai-Fatu since 2008, Fatu has four children, two of whom-Jacob and Journey-are active wrestlers. He reflects on a career marked by triumphs, family legacy, and personal tragedies, including witnessing Bruiser Brody‘s murder.

American retired professional wrestler
Sam Fatu
Wiki Facts & About Data
Real Name:	Samuel Larry Anoaʻi Fatu
Stage Name:	Sam Fatu
Born:	11 October 1965 (age 60 years old)
Place of Birth:	San Francisco, California, United States
Nationality:	American
Education:	N/A
Height:	191 cm
Parents:	Vera Fatu, Solofa Fatu
Siblings:	Umaga, Solofa Fatu Jr.
Spouse:	Theresa Fuavai-Fatu (m. 2008), Dana Francis (m. 1987-1992), Sandra Anoa’i (m. 1996-?)
Girlfriend • Partner:	Not Dating
Children:	Jacob Fatu, Marley Fatu, Myracle Fatu, Journey Fatu
Occupation:	Wrestler
Net Worth:	$1 million-$5 million (USD)

Early Life & Education

Samuel Larry Anoaʻi Fatu, known in wrestling as Sam Fatu, The Tonga Kid, and Tama, was born on October 11, 1965, in San Francisco, California.

He is a Samoan-American from the legendary Anoaʻi wrestling family, with deep Polynesian roots that trace back to the village of Leone in American Samoa.

Raised in a devout Mormon household, Fatu grew up attending The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints services with his family in the Bay Area.

His parents, Solofa Fatu Sr. (Matagaono Solofa Iʻaulualo) and Elevera Anoaʻi Fatu (Vera Fatu), were active members of the local LDS ward, and faith played a significant role in the home alongside the strong Samoan cultural traditions that shaped daily life.

Sam has a twin brother, Solofa Fatu Jr. (Rikishi), and a younger brother, the late Eddie Fatu (Umaga), along with several sisters. The family’s Mormon faith and close-knit Anoaʻi ties meant that church activities, family home evenings, and Polynesian cultural events were regular parts of their upbringing.

Fatu left traditional schooling early after running into trouble as a teenager in San Francisco. Concerned for his path, his mother sent him at age 16 to live with his uncles, Afa and Sika Anoaʻi, in Pensacola, Florida.

There, under their strict guidance and within the disciplined environment of the Wild Samoans’ training facility, he found structure through both wrestling and the continued influence of the LDS Church community in the area. This move ultimately launched his professional wrestling career when he debuted in the WWF at just 17 in 1983.

Career

Sam Fatu‘s professional wrestling journey began unexpectedly at seventeen when he filled in for an injured Jimmy Snuka at a WWF house show in Springfield, Massachusetts, on December 27, 1983.

With no gear of his own, he borrowed Snuka‘s trunks and boots, stepping into the ring as The Tonga Kid to face Johnny Rodz before a stunned audience. His strong performance impressed management, securing him a spot in the company.

Over the next few years, Fatu became a popular babyface, frequently teaming with Snuka and engaging in high-profile feuds with stars like Roddy Piper and Bob Orton. He appeared at the inaugural WrestleMania alongside Rick Steamboat and Barry Windham and participated in the NFL-WWF battle royal at WrestleMania 2.

By late 1986, Fatu returned to the WWF under the ring name Tama, forming The Islanders with Haku. The duo quickly turned heel, famously kidnapping Matilda the bulldog, and became one of the era’s most despised tag teams, feuding with The British Bulldogs, The Young Stallions, and The Can-Am Connection. The Islanders remained a television and live event staple until Fatu left WWF in the summer of 1988 following management disagreements.

In 1989, he reemerged in World Championship Wrestling as The Samoan Savage, reuniting with his cousin Samu and later his twin brother Solofa (Fatu) to form the Samoan SWAT Team under Paul E. Dangerously‘s guidance. Known for their intensity, athleticism, and military-style ring gear, the team captured the WCW United States Tag Team titles and competed in high-profile matches against top teams like the Steiner Brothers.

Fatu also wrestled on the independent circuit, in Puerto Rico’s World Wrestling Council, and in Japan for New Japan Pro-Wrestling and WAR. He made brief returns to the WWF in 1995 and 1996, competing in house shows and dark matches under his real name. By the late 1990s, injuries and the demands of the road led him to step away from full-time wrestling.

Though he never held a world singles championship, Sam Fatu was instrumental in two of wrestling’s most memorable tag teams-The Islanders and the Samoan SWAT Team-helping cement the Anoaʻi family legacy for a new generation of fans.

Social Media

• Wikipedia: Sam Fatu
• Facebook: Sam Fatu
• Instagram: Sam TK Fatu (@iamtongakid)

Personal Life

Sam Fatu, born Samuel Larry Anoa’i Fatu on October 11, 1965, in San Francisco, California, turned 60 years old.

Standing at a billed height of 6 feet 3 inches (191 cm) during his wrestling career, he carried an imposing presence in the ring that complemented his athletic style.

Fatu has been married three times, with his current wife being Theresa Fuavai-Fatu, whom he wed in 2008 amid their shared Mormon faith that has provided a foundation for family life.

Their marriage nearly faced tragedy that same year when Theresa suffered a cardiac arrest during the Caesarean birth of their twins, but she and the babies recovered fully, an event Fatu has reflected on as a testament to their resilience and the church community’s support.

Prior to Theresa, Fatu was married to Sandra Anoa’i, starting in 1996 after a year of dating, a union within the extended wrestling family that lasted for several years, and before that to Dana Francis beginning in 1987, though details of their courtship remain private.

Fatu is the father of four children: sons Jacob Fatu (born around 1992, a prominent WWE wrestler known as the Samoan Werewolf) and Journey Fatu (who competes on the independent circuit in hardcore matches), along with younger twins Marley Fatu and Myracle Fatu, born in 2008 to Theresa.

He has expressed pride in watching his sons carry on the Anoa’i family tradition in wrestling, often crediting his own early life challenges and faith for guiding him through fatherhood.

Net Worth

Sam Fatu, the retired Samoan-American professional wrestler known for his WWF stints as The Tonga Kid and Tama, has an estimated net worth of $1 million to $5 million.

This figure stems primarily from his decades-long career in promotions like WWF, WCW, and independents, where he earned through tag team success, house shows, and international tours, supplemented by occasional wrestling memorabilia sales and family-related ventures.

Unlike more mainstream Anoa’i relatives like The Rock, Fatu‘s lower-profile path kept his earnings modest, with no major acting or endorsement windfalls.