Lance Anoa’i is calling time on his in-ring career. The Anoa’i family member announced on Instagram that he will step away from professional wrestling once he hits his 17-year anniversary in the business, setting a target date of March 2027.
“17 years. One hell of a ride. And in March 2027… it’s time for family,” Anoa’i wrote.
Anoa’i said wrestling has taken up his weekends and pulled him away from the people he loves most, and that he’s ready to give that time back to his wife and kids instead.
He was careful to note the retirement isn’t effective right away. “This isn’t goodbye just yet though. We still have a few months to go,” he wrote.
A Career Rooted In Family
Anoa’i, 34, made his pro debut in April 2010. He’s the son of former WWE and WCW star Samu and the grandson of the late Afa Anoa’i of the Wild Samoans, making him cousins with Roman Reigns, the Usos and the Rock. He said he’s proud of what his family continues to do in the business and plans to keep supporting them, adding that wrestling will always be part of who he is.
The announcement caps an eventful stretch for Anoa’i. He signed with WWE’s Performance Center in 2024 but never made his in-ring television debut due to injuries, and he was released from his NXT deal in October 2025. He’d previously won MLW’s World Tag Team Championship alongside Juicy Finau, and in April he made his Power Slap debut with a first-round knockout.
