After watching the ROH/TNA/NXT stalwart safe a tough fought victory over MJF, this WWE Corridor of Famer heaped reward on Samoa Joe.
When Samoa Joe signed with AEW in April of 2022, few anticipated to see the “Samoan Submission Machine” maintain up the largest prize within the promotion, the AEW World Championship, earlier than the clock struck 00:00 in 2023.
Now granted, championship gold has just about adopted Joe regardless of the place he is gone throughout his profession, holding 16 totally different titles for 25 complete reigns, however he hasn’t been a World Champion – or the highest title holder in a significant promotion that does not use the “world” moniker – since 2008, when he held the TNA World Heavyweight Championship for 182 days.
After turning into the longest-reigning ROH Tv Champion of all time in 2023, it felt like a pure development for the 44-year-old to go to the highest title in AEW, however what number of instances has TK elevated a large free agent acquisition solely to have them lose an enormous match after which fall again to obscurity? Joe’s win is uncommon and subsequently particular, particularly when you think about the trail he took to the belt, a reality his former TNT coworker Booker T famous on his Corridor of Fame podcast.
“I do not know when you keep in mind what I mentioned about Samoa Joe. I suppose it was about three months in the past. And we had been speaking about, ‘Was Samoa Joe was going to win the–’you recognize, what was going to occur with Samoa Joe in AEW. And I mentioned I really feel like Samoa Joe goes to be the World Heavyweight Champion. And simply because Tony Khan is simply that sort of man, he is going to verify it occurs for Samoa Joe. And I simply consider Joe put within the work, little question. Joe was that soldier to say, ‘Okay, I man this ship over right here.’ However as quickly as Samoa Joe came to visit and enacted his clause and mentioned, ‘Hey, I am right here,’ growth. They put the title on him. Yeah, I simply felt that means,” Booker T mentioned on his podcast by way of EWrestling Information.
“And the explanation why is, I simply felt prefer it was rewarding for Samoa Joe and giving him his props. As a result of Joe is that’s that man, man. He’s that true soldier, he is that dude. You recognize what I imply? And he is been grinding, grinding, and grinding for thus lengthy, you recognize what I imply? And yeah. I want we had that quote; we might return and pull it up. However he is deserving of it, man. He actually is.”
Requested what he thinks of Joe as a wrestler, Booker put the all-over champion over in an enormous means, noting that, in any case of those years, he is excited to see the previous ROH/TNA/NXT star get his flowers.
“Properly, he is that good. He is been round that lengthy, and he isn’t simply been that good within the ring. He is been that good exterior of the ring. So far as interviews and promos, he is been that good. From a commentary perspective, Samoa Joe is actually throughout. He can just about do all of it. So he’s the right man. When Joe is working, do you consider it? I imply, you consider it, little question, you recognize? So for me, the right man for the job. I am simply glad to see Samoa Joe lastly get his flowers. That is all I need to say on that one.”
Did TK know that Joe was going to be his AEW World Champion when MJF received the strap in 2022? No, he nearly actually didn’t. Did TK know Joe was going to turn into the AEW World Champion when he misplaced to MJF at Arthur Ashe, and even earlier than the “Salt of the Earth” messed himself up with an ill-fated elbow onto an already collapsed introduced desk at Full Gear? It is not possible to know, however ultimately, it would not actually matter: Samoa Joe is the AEW Champion, and it is protected to say he’ll relish this chance to shine as a promotion’s high man as soon as extra.
Jim Ross may be very excessive on Samoa Joe’s AEW World Title win, too.
Whereas Booker T may be very glad for Samoa Joe, he is not the one WWE Corridor of Famer who has sturdy emotions for the do-it-all superheavyweight.
Discussing Worlds Finish on his Grillin’ JR podcast, Jim Ross celebrated the choice too, suggesting that Joe will signify the corporate with delight.
“Joe’s been, over time, he is confirmed to be very sturdy, and his work is plausible, so I am an enormous Samoa Joe proponent. He is the correct man for the job, it looks as if,” Jim Ross mentioned on his podcast by way of Fightful. “He can have good matches with nearly anyone, as a babyface or a heel, which is necessary, to have the power to bop with totally different companions. So I like that transfer. I like the truth that Joe’s the champion, and I like the truth that he has the power to work with nearly anyone, and he’s a veteran. He gives management, physicality. You possibly can’t see via this work. He is sturdy in that regard. So good for him. Good for Joe. He is the sort of man you need to be pulling the wagon, not solely as a result of he is sturdy sufficient to tug the wagon, however he is sensible sufficient as a veteran to make it work for him and the corporate.”
As former WWE commentators, Joe and JR are, in a means, kindred spirits, as they each know what it is prefer to hype up a crowd whereas Vince McMahon screams of their ear. Not like JR, Joe is a 300 monster who can crush even the largest foe within the ring and achieve this with a smile on his face. For each of their sakes, let’s hope the duo are in a position to work collectively sooner or later, with Joe working within the ring and Ross wholesome sufficient to name his matches.
