Another Wrestler Announces He Is Leaving WWE
ORLANDO, FL – Lance anoa’i, a third-generation professional wrestler, has announced his departure from WWE, effective after a 30-day period. Anoa’i revealed the news via a post on his X account on October 10, 2025, stating his intention to return to the independent wrestling circuit and is already accepting bookings at booklanceanoai@gmail.com.
“I would officially announce my departure from WWE!” Anoa’i wrote.”I didn’t have the best of luck since I arrived! I will not let this stop me from achieving to be great! I’ve worked hard on the indies for 15 years! Now let’s get back to work! 30days.”
The 30-day timeframe likely corresponds to a standard non-compete clause for WWE NXT contracts, meaning Anoa’i will be a free agent to wrestle for other promotions in early november.
Anoa’i comes from a prominent wrestling lineage. His father is Samula Anoaʻi, known as Samu of The Wild Samoans and The Headshrinkers in the WWF, and his grandfather is WWE Hall of famer Afa Anoaʻi. Lance Anoa’i began his professional career in 2010, honing his skills in his grandfather’s World Xtreme Wrestling (WXW) and on the independent scene with promotions like Maryland Championship Wrestling (MCW) and House of Hardcore (HOH).
Before joining WWE, Anoa’i enjoyed a triumphant run in Major League Wrestling (MLW) from 2018 to 2023. Alongside Juicy Finau as part of the Samoan SWAT Team, he held the MLW World Tag Team championship for 182 days in 2023 and also competed in Pro Wrestling Noah in Japan.
His WWE journey included sporadic appearances on SmackDown (2015) and NXT (2017). A notable moment came on the May 27, 2019, episode of Raw, where he faced Shane McMahon, ultimately losing but receiving a save from his cousin, Roman Reigns. Anoa’i officially signed with WWE in the summer of 2024 and was assigned to NXT, though an injury delayed his debut. He was later listed as part of the WWE ID program and scheduled for the WWE Evolve roster in January 2025.
