Honor Rises: A Look at Samoa Joe’s ROH World Title Reign
25. Samoa Joe vs. Bryan Danielson (October 2, 2004)
Joe’s string of tough challengers continued as he came to face WWE’s Daniel Bryan. If Doug Williams had great wrestling technique, Danielson was even more superior.
Danielson, even in 2004, was one of the best wrestlers in the world. He was making a reputation for himself as one of the best workers in the world, and if there was a every a person to be able to take the title from Joe, it would be him.
However, even after a grueling 40 minute war with The American Dragon, Joe was still able to defeat him and send him to the back of the line. Joe defended his title successfully, still dominant.
26. Samoa Joe vs. Rocky Romero (October 15, 2004)
Rocky Romero is one of NJPW’s and ROH’s elder statesmen, still working for both companies until today. Romero is an outstanding wrestler, commentator, and musician, but he was also dwarfed in size compared to Joe. Romero put up a valiant effort, as any former ROH World Tag Team Champion would, but Joe manged to unseat and destroy his challenger.
27. Samoa Joe vs. CM Punk 2 (October 16, 2004)
The rematch ROH fans were waiting for. Not only was this the biggest match in ROH to date, but Joe was fighting Punk on Punk’s home turf – Chicago. The Chicago faithful turned out to cheer their hero, and Joe was deep in hostile territory.
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Samoa Joe was tired. He has defended the championship 26 times in a year and a half, going all over the world. Punk had a winning strategy. Punk’s strategy was to keep wearing down Joe going for the long run in this one as well. He came so close last time, that he was sure he could again.
Punk worked over Joe, wearing him down so much that he came close to winning more than once. However, just like last time, there was no definitive winner, and Joe and Punk went to a 60 minute draw yet again, and Joe was able to retain his title. However, he was still unable to beat CM Punk.
Punk became a legitimate main event star and huge draw in ROH at this time, as he was able to go toe to toe with Joe, even though he was unable to win.
Punk may not have been able to beat Joe, but he proved himself as capable, putting him at the top of everyone’s list as one of the stars to watch in the future.
28. Samoa Joe vs. Chris Hero (November 13, 2004)
Joe and Hero were at the top of their game in 2004, with Hero, (WWE’s Kassius Ohno) being one of the better young workers on the scene. Ohno worked a style that was technical, but in a very different way than Bryan Danielson and Doug Williams. Joe was also outside of his home base, wrestling in IWA:MS against Hero. Hero and Joe went to war over 40 minutes and Joe was still able to come out the winner, but Hero definitely brought his all. For all the hits Joe has taken, for how tired he was, he was still going strong.
29. Samoa Joe vs. CM Punk (December 4, 2004)
Punk wanted one more match. One more chance to prove that he could beat Samoa Joe. Joe wanted to erase the two footnotes on his reign, saying that he couldn’t beat CM Punk.
The match was made for December 4, 2004 with no time limits. This time, there would be a finish. Joe and Punk did not disappoint, but something was very different in this one. Early on, Punk was bleeding.
Suddenly, his stamina was running out faster than he could wear Joe down. Punk had no quit in him, and was desperate to defeat Joe, but with the wound bleeding profusely, Punk could not keep up the pace he did in the previous matches. Punk ultimately fell to Joe, and was defeated, 1-2-3, right in the middle of the ring.
The definitive end to their feud, and Joe had no more blemishes on his record. Joe and Punk walked out of this feud even bigger stars.