Samoa Joe: Ranking His 5 Best Matches Outside WWE

1) Samoa Joe vs Low Ki – ROH Glory by Honor October 5, 2002

After the deaths of WCW and ECW in 2001, there was a large gap left in the wrestling world that was waiting to be filled. Many independent wrestlers were left without a major company to seek work with, and thus many young stars toiled in smaller companies.

Enter Ring of Honor. In February 2002, Ring of Honor held the first show, showcasing some of the best independent talent in wrestling, giving them a home to learn their craft and make a name. Some of the best names in wrestling have come from there, including many WWE champions, like Bryan Danielson (Daniel Bryan), Tyler Black (Seth Rollins), CM Punk, and Kevin Steen (Kevin Owens). One, however stands above the rest.

Samoa Joe entered Ring of Honor in 2002 and made an immediate impact as he faced one of the top stars in the company, Low Ki. In a hard-hitting match, the two men displayed a style of wrestling that was almost never seen at that time in North America. Joe and Ki left the audience stunned with the stiff, strike based wrestling match that helped define ROH as the company to watch for great wrestling. Joe’s stock was instantly elevated, as he became a main event star in one match. Not long after, he would win the Ring of Honor title, and dub it the World Title after defending it worldwide.