WWE Raw: Samoa Joe stole the show with his commentary
Samoa Joe graced wrestling fans with his presence on the announce desk on this week’s episode of WWE Raw, and it’s clear he’s on a different level from everyone else behind the booth.
Is Samoa Joe the Tony Romo of WWE?
In NFL broadcasting, Romo has changed the game with his insightful commentary and uncanny ability to predict what’s coming, as the former Dallas Cowboys star quarterback has set a new bar for commentary in football. Some former players make insightful comments, but none of them hold a candle to Romo – and many fall well short.
Wrestling commentators aren’t always former wrestlers themselves, but some of the best in the business – I’m thinking of Nigel McGuinness here – were legendary pro wrestlers. McGuinness gets into the psychology, shows plenty of enthusiasm, and leaves you feeling smarter than you did before the broadcast began.
Samoa Joe seems to be in that McGuinness tier.
Like McGuinness, Joe is a wrestling legend and a former ROH World Champion. Unlike McGuinness, Joe is an active competitor who could realistically win a world title in 2020, no matter how easy it is to stop believing in him after all the losses.
Joe joined Vic Joseph and Jerry Lawler (obligatory “ugh”) on commentary for the Dec. 2 episode of Raw, and he absolutely killed it.
He made a “Resistance is Futile” comment, heelishly defended Bobby Lashley (or maybe not so heelishly, I mean, the guy was arrested for no reason), and got into ALL the psychology. Check out the Tony Nese vs. Aleister Black match for a perfect example of Joe breaking down the action.
We’ve seen Joe shine on commentary before, and he’s been a great addition to kick-off panels before, especially at NXT TakeOvers.
Commentators don’t talk about the way wrestlers strategize during a match, even though it’s a simulation of a combat sport. But the likes of McGuinness and Joe REALLY dive into it in a way that doesn’t overwhelm the average fan listening, making the broadcast that much more real. Given Joe’s ability to make everything he says sound real in his promos, this gift is unsurprising.
On this night, Joe was a massive addition to an announce team that could have been brought down by Lawler’s weird ramblings and inappropriate comments. Joe isn’t just an incredible wrestler, but also a breath of fresh air on the announce team who can get wrestling fans buzzing with his straight-shooting style.
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Joe puts over wrestlers, doesn’t make it about him, and keeps you informed and entertained. What more could we ask for? Heck, we don’t even deserve this man on commentary!
Whenever he decides to hang up his boots – and he has a few good years left in him – hopefully he’ll have a place on WWE’s announce table one day. He’s incredible.