Samoa Joe discusses his run in AEW so far, feels like he's just getting started

Originally published at https://www.postwrestling.com/2022/12/11/samoa-joe-discusses-his-run-in-aew-so-far-feels-like-hes-just-getting-started/

If Joe was not in AEW, he’d ‘working in television in some facet’. 

Back in April, Samoa Joe made his return to Ring of Honor at Supercard of Honor. Along with his return to Tony Khan’s ROH came with a debut in All Elite Wrestling. 

Present day, Joe is the reigning AEW TNT and ROH World Television Champion. At ROH Final Battle, he bested Juice Robinson to retain the Television Title. 

Going into the bout, Joe chatted with Steven Muehlhausen of DAZN and commented on his run in AEW thus far. Joe feels it is just getting started and mentioned that he was gone for three months due to filming for the Peacock series

Just getting started [is how I would characterize my run in AEW so far]. I mean, really I came in, initially I was gone for three months filming and now I’m back and we’re just getting started. Really, when you think about my run and how long I’ve actually been in AEW as far as days on the job, we’re still very much in the beginning of this so I’m excited to see where it goes.

The question of what would he be doing if he was not in AEW was brought forward. He stated that he’d be working in television ‘in some facet’. 

There were other projects and shows that got in contact with him. He said there’s not too much he could say because he’s still working on some of those things. 

I don’t wanna… because I’m still working on some of this stuff. It’s still kind of out there but, needless to say, I had a few other projects and a few other shows that showed a lot of interest and I was very, very thankful that they approached me immediately and yeah, I mean, I would have been working in television in some facet [if I was not in AEW]. I’ll say that much… It is [always good to be wanted] and I’m very thankful for it. I don’t ever take that for granted because, you know, it’s been a recurring theme in my career that you get the oddest phone calls at the oddest times and they work out great so, just gotta be ready for when they come.

Joe spoke highly of his Final Battle opponent Juice Robinson. He thinks Robinson is probably one of the more slept on talents in wrestling. 

In addition to that, Joe recalled hearing nothing but positive things about Juice while in NXT. He recalls them crossing paths in Japan and said he’s a skilled grappler. 

I think he [Juice Robinson] is probably one of the more slept on talents in wrestling. It’s funny, me and Juice just kind of missed each other in NXT. He had decided he wanted to go out and kind of do his own thing and I was coming in at the time and I heard tons of great things from everybody there who would work with him and knew him personally and stuff and you know, I think I met him a few times. I think actually we met up one time when we were in Japan and we just happened to be touring at the same time as New Japan and we had dinner and then I saw some of his work and what he’s doing in New Japan. An incredible athlete, very, very skilled grappler.

On this past Wednesday’s episode of Dynamite, Joe successfully defended the TNT Championship against Darby Allin. The week prior to that, Joe retained the title by besting A.R. Fox

If the quotes in this article are used, please credit DAZN Wrestling with an H/T to POST Wrestling for the transcriptions.