US-eligible Tongan prop Ma’ake Muti played in Major League Rugby for the 2021 and 2025 seasons. He represented the LA Giltinis (2021) and the Miami Sharks (2025).

A native of Tongatapu, Tonga, Muti and his family moved to Hawaii in 2008. He was a multi-sport athlete while at Leilehua High School, competing in wrestling, captaining the track & field team, and winning the OIA Western Championship competing at shot put while also playing with the football team. During this time he was also playing club rugby with the Kalihi Raiders. He and his family (that includes his borther Netane Muti, currently a guard for the Detroit Lions in the NFL) became US citizens in December 2014. Ma’ake played football while attending Azusa Pacific University from 2014-2019, before returning to rugby following his graduation.

Muti was signed with the Dallas Jackals as a development player ahead of their planned entry into MLR in 2021, but once the Jackals pushed their entry to 2022, he signed with the LA Giltinis. He earned 6 MLR appearances with the Giltinis during their 2021 Shield-winning season, before joining the American Raptors. He played with the Raptors in Super Rugby Americas between 2021-2024. Perhaps because of the announcement that the Raptors would not be playing professional rugby in 2025, the Miami Sharks announced on November 7th, 2024 that they had signed Ma’ake Muti for their 2025 MLR season.

achievements

• 2021 MLR Champion: LA Giltinis