This past Friday, Ring of Honor returned with its Supercard of Honor XV event. Given that this event marked the return of ROH, specifically under the ownership of All Elite Wrestling President Tony Khan, expectations were incredibly high. Surprises weren’t in short order, as titles changed hands and familiar names returned. At the end of the show, however, viewers in attendance and from home were treated to what may be the biggest surprise of WrestleMania Week. Following the main event, Samoa Joe made his ROH return, stepping up to not only one of ROH’s flagbearers but showing respect to the company’s reigning world champion. It was later announced that Samoa Joe would be All Elite Wrestling-bound, appearing on AEW Dynamite this Wednesday.
In the Supercard of Honor XV main event, Jonathan Gresham bested Bandido to become the undisputed ROH World Champion. Following the match, Jay Lethal, who defeated Lee Moriarty earlier in the evening, marched to the ring, demanding a title match from Gresham. This led to an attack by not only Lethal but Sonjay Dutt, both of whom set their sights on the world titleholder. They even intercepted aid from Moriarty. Soon after, Samoa Joe hit the ring, staring down Lethal and even momentarily choking out Dutt. Fans should expect to hear more from “The Samoan Submission Machine” this Wednesday on AEW Dynamite, but for the uninitiated, here’s a primer to get you up to speed.
Samoa Joe Comes to AEW Dynamite
Humble Beginnings That Led to Greatness
Samoa Joe began his professional wrestling journey in 1999, training at the UIWA West Coast Dojo. It was here where he learned primarily under Johnny Hemp and Cincinnati Red. After only three months of training, Joe wrestled his first professional match. The following year, he signed with Ultimate Pro Wrestling, a developmental facility under the World Wrestling Federation umbrella. He saw success in the promotion, even becoming the longest reigning UPW Heavyweight Champion at 258 days. However, by 2003, he departed the promotion and wouldn’t work with WWE in any capacity for over a decade.
During his time at UPW, Joe worked for other organizations as well. One such example was Pro Wrestling Zero-One, founded by New Japan Pro-Wrestling legend Shinya Hashimoto. Joe competed in many of the company’s shows and tournaments, including two Fire Festivals. He also made history by becoming one-half of the inaugural NWA Intercontinental Tag Team Champions alongside Keiji Sakota. The other company that Joe worked with during his formative years, becoming synonymous with it in the years that followed, was Ring of Honor.
Samoa Joe in Ring of Honor
Samoa Joe debuted for ROH on October 5, 2002 at the company’s Glory by Honor event. Joe was positioned as an “assassin” by Christopher Daniels, the goal being to take out Low Ki. What began as a temporary role for Joe turned into a full-time job, having impressed officials to the point where they became compelled to sign him. From there, Joe became one of the most dominant wrestlers in the company, winning the ROH World Championship mere months after his debut. This culminated in a record-setting reign, as Joe held the gold for a staggering 645 days.
This title reign was not only impressive for its length, however. During his time atop the company, Samoa Joe defended the gold against such names as Christopher Daniels, Bryan Danielson, AJ Styles, and CM Punk, the latter of whom he put on a memorable trilogy of matches against. In 2005, Joe would work a “once-in-a-lifetime” bout against the legendary Kenta Kobashi, their match earning Match of the Year honors in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. In early 2007, Joe left the promotion as a full-time performer, though he would return for one night only in November of 2008 to face Tyler Black, better known to WWE fans as Seth Rollins.
The Machine Steps Inside the IMPACT Zone
Starting in the summer of 2005, and up until early 2015, Samoa Joe made Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, later known as IMPACT Wrestling, his home. Joe made his company debut at Slammiversary in June of the former year, quickly putting away Sonjay Dutt. Much like in ROH, Joe became a force in TNA, establishing himself as one of the most formidable opponents in the company. Perhaps his greatest TNA match took place at Unbreakable the following September, which saw him face AJ Styles and X-Division Champion Christopher Daniels in a three-way match. Consider the fact that this was the only TNA match to ever receive a five-star rating from Dave Meltzer.
During his time in TNA/IMPACT, Samoa Joe became one of the company’s most decorated stars. In addition to being a former TNA World Heavyweight Champion, he was TNA Television Champion, a 2x TNA World Tag Team Champion, and a 5x X-Division Champion; accolades such as these made him a Grand Slam and Triple Crown Champion in the company, too. In addition, he tested his mettle against both opponents from his ROH days and new foes, the latter of which included Christian Cage and Kurt Angle. In February of 2015, after nearly a decade of service, Joe departed IMPACT, setting his sights elsewhere.
The Transition to NXT and WWE
Following a momentary stop in Ring of Honor, as well as various independent organizations, Samoa Joe was WWE-bound. In May of 2015, at NXT TakeOver: Unstoppable, Joe made his debut, confronting Kevin Owens following his main event match against Sami Zayn. Joe impressed company officials out of the gate, largely due to his early merchandise sales. To say that “The Samoan Submission Machine” thrived on the black-and-gold brand would be an understatement. In addition to putting forth dominant performances, and furthering his status as a legitimate competitor, Joe became the first wrestler to win the NXT Championship on multiple occasions, winning it a total of 3 times.
In terms of main roster success, Joe’s track record left more to be desired. Granted, he became a 2x United States Champion. He also put forth well-received performances against such names as AJ Styles and Brock Lesnar, which seemed to line him up for world title contention. However, any attempts to build momentum were abruptly cut off due to injuries. Joe joined commentary during his periods of in-ring activity. He exceled behind the desk, though his presence between the ropes was missed by fans. Joe was released from the company in April of 2021, though by June, he was re-signed following involvement from Triple H. Joe was reassigned to NXT, winning the brand’s top championship for a third time before being released again this past January, the brand taking a new direction.
Samoa Joe Comes to AEW Dynamite – In Closing
Shortly following his ROH return, Tony Khan made the announcement that Samoa Joe was All Elite. AEW has not been short on notable signings in 2022, Buddy Matthews, Swerve Strickland, and Keith Lee included. In terms of experience and history, Joe is among the most important acquisitions. Moreover, Joe signed with AEW with goals in mind. During the Supercard of Honor XV media scrum, Joe expanded on these goals, saying that he wanted to become world champion.
Joe said that while he focused on “bettering the world of professional wrestling” in the past, ultimately, he was in AEW and ROH to win any gold placed in front of him, not to mention participate in the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament. “I don’t respect nobody,” said Joe. “Until you’re in the ring with me. I’m coming out there to smack people in their mouth and take what they have.” Expect to hear Samoa Joe expand on his ambitions this Wednesday on AEW Dynamite.
Stay tuned to the Last Word on Pro Wrestling for more on this and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. You can always count on LWOPW to be on top of the major news in the wrestling world. As well as to provide you with analysis, previews, videos, interviews, and editorials on the wrestling world. You can catch AEW Dynamite Wednesday nights at 8 PM ET on TBS and AEW Dark: Elevation (Monday nights) and AEW: Dark (Tuesday nights) at 7 PM ET on YouTube. AEW Rampage airs on TNT at 10 PM EST every Friday night.
