text: "Make a Difference" (1995–1996) After a brief hiatus, Fatu reappeared as a singles wrestler in July 1995 repackaged as a streetwise positive role model, for which he filmed several vignettes in his old San Francisco neighborhood touching on his real-life upbringing in the ghetto and preaching the messages of staying in school and saying no to drugs, all while he spoke fluent English. Each segment ended with the onscreen phrase "Make a Difference", making it the unofficial name of the gimmick. Fatu made his in-ring return on July 29 by pinning Rad Radford on WWF Superstars, and then enjoyed a run of victories over enhancement talent for the remainder of the year. However, the character did not get over with fans, and in 1996 Fatu was regularly booked to lose to stars such as Steve Austin, Vader, and Hunter Hearst Helmsley. Two men known as "The Samoan Gangster Party" (Fatu's cousins Samu and  Matthew Anoaʻi) additionally began showing up in the audience during his matches, but no storylines were ever developed. The "Make a Difference" gimmick was dropped in April 1996.
  The Sultan (1996–1998)
  In August 1996, Fatu was repackaged as The Sultan, a masked wrestler who never spoke, ostensibly because his tongue was cut out. He was managed by The Iron Sheik and Bob Backlund. He unsuccessfully challenged Rocky Maivia for the WWF Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania 13. The Sultan vanished in January 1998, and Fatu left to train at Dory Funk's Funking Conservatory wrestling school. He would work from 1998 to 1999 in the independent circuit.
  Independent Circuit (1998–1999)
  After WWF, Fatu continued his Sultan gimmick in the independent circuit losing to Jimmy Snuka. He reunited with Samu as the Headshrinkers working for his uncle's promotion World Xtreme Wrestling in Pennsylvania. Later that year he feuded with Billy Two Eagles for Elite Canadian Championship Wrestling in British Columbia as Fatu which lasted a year. On April 28, 1999, Fatu teamed with his cousin Yokozuna to defeat Skull Murphy Jr., Danny Collins and Blondie Barratt in a handicap match in London, England.