Samoa Joe and WWE: Why The Fit Is Right
Impactwrestling.com
The Wrestling Industry was a buzz on Tuesday with Samoa Joe announcing that he was leaving TNA Wrestling. After Samoa Joe’s announcement, speculation began immediately that WWE will be reaching out to the long-time TNA superstar. WWE appears to be a logical choice for Samoa Joe and it may all be because of Triple H.
Before we break down Samoa Joe’s announcement, we must first go back to July of 2014.
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For a few hours in July of 2014, Triple H followed Samoa Joe on twitter. In addition, for a few hours, Samoa Joe was following Triple H on twitter. Is this news? Yes, as high-schoolish as it may sound, it is news that WWE’s Chief Operating Officer was following one of TNA’s most recognizable talents on twitter.
Now, lets come back to Tuesday.
On Tuesday, Samoa Joe announced his departure from TNA Wrestling.
Samoa Joe, who will turn 36 in March, is now a free agent and there likely will be many connections made to WWE.
Paul Heyman, who is credited with a lot of behind the scenes work within WWE, may have been the first connection.
Hmmm RT @SamoaJoe I have decided to part ways with @ImpactWrestling. My very best to them moving forward, and my eternal thanks to the fans.
— Paul Heyman (@HeymanHustle) February 18, 2015
Heyman is responsible for talents such as Brock Lesnar and CM Punk coming to WWE. Considering the popularity of both Lesnar and Punk, Heyman’s subliminal endorsement of Samoa Joe coming to WWE likely carries weight at the WWE Headquarters in Connecticut.
The same WWE Headquarters where Triple H and Vince McMahon may disagree about Samoa Joe coming to the company. According to WWE backstage insider MetsFan4Ever, Triple H is interested in bringing Samoa Joe to WWE and would want to the talent to start his run with NXT. Meanwhile, MetsFan4Ever noted that Vince McMahon is not interested in the idea of signing Samoa Joe.
McMahon’s reluctance to bring in Samoa Joe may be related to age and the fact that Samoa Joe’s body is considered to be worn down with the talent having lost a step in the ring. The same reason why McMahon was not keen on the idea of bringing Kurt Angle back to WWE in September.
Samoa Joe deserves an opportunity with WWE.
While TNA has long been considered a sinking ship, Samoa Joe’s work with the company has been widely respected. Between his feuds with Kurt Angle and A.J. Styles, Samoa Joe has developed a reputation for being an incredible talent.
Samoa Joe’s best work may indeed be behind him but it should be noted that he is only two years older than Finn Balor. Balor has already become a fan favorite within WWE despite his debut coming during the final months of the 2014 calendar year. Much like Balor’s following flocked to the WWE Network to watch him, the same will happen with Samoa Joe. Samoa Joe has a following and that following will bring a new audience to the WWE. A new audience, or at least an increased audience, is something that WWE needs considering their projected financial doom in the future.
Samoa Joe has a unique in-ring style that has rarely been seen in WWE and the former TNA talent also has the ability to work with anyone.
With support from Heyman and Triple H, Samoa Joe would succeed in the WWE even if his run is on a short-term basis.