Samoa Joe...Could He Be The Next Stone Cold?

[SpiralHands]

Ok first off this isnt a "lets bash Joe" thread nor is it "why I love joe" thread, this thread is to discuss the possibilty of Joe becoming a chracter like Stone Cold.
No the not beer swelling, truck driving, Mcmahon huggin Stone Cold but the part of that character that does what he wants when he wants to who he wants. I believe that Joe could indeed play this chracter very well. Think about it when he came to TNA he had a win loss record, something they dwelled on and built him up on, he was a monster heel yet people liked he destroying other wrestlers thats what they wanted to see and thats what made him eventually face. Thing is TNA still run promos as if Joe is like this now, but we all know hes not. Hes gone soft perhaps?
So my question would be if TNA took the Stone Cold character of stunning your boss, doing what you want when you want and confronting someone like Mike Tyson on national TV and gave that to Joe, could he pull it off? And could he become the next Stone Cold like wrestler?

 

[thepoo62]

Absoutely... I see Joe as the ultimate "Grey-Area" wrestler. He only wants to beat people up and he drives towards the belt. The trick is..TNA should never let him be influenced by anyone with their own agenda and he should never run down to help anyone. He can have no alegiance.. except to himself...

 

[Twanfusco]

I don't think this wud work simply because; the reason austin got away with doing stuff like say stunning a fellow face for no apparent reason was because he had a comedy element to his character as well as a seriousness about him, he knew exactly wen and where to be funny and wen to be serious and wen he was serious there was a certain emotion and passion in his 'performance' that the fans related to and bought. I don't see joe being funny or having raw emotion, he has one mode, angry. If he jumped an overly face aj styles for instance he'd b booed so he'd b more like a 'grey-area' orton only nowhere near as interesting.

 

[Fizzy]

No I do not see this happening. Sure Joe was built into a badass who doesn't give a fuck about anybody much like Stone Cold, but I think if they tried to make him more like Stone Cold it would turn horrible and be a failure. I think Joe should stay right where he is right now and keep this gimmick. Who knows maybe in time he will become more like Stone Cold, but I certainly do not want it to happen.

 

[Kliq]

Sure he could have a similiar character, who couldn't? But he'll never be as popular or influential. There is too much discrimination against his body type for that.

 

[Tim]

He could half be like it. He could definately be someone that does what he wants, when he wants, but there is no way he could properly be like Austin. Twanfusco hit the nail on the head; Austin had a comedy element that ws part of his character. He just knew what to say, and when to say it. I don't think Joe could pull off something like that. Joe could not pull off a comedic character, even if it is infused with a badass character, its just not him. But nobody could pull off something like Austin and be as successful as him, just let the gimmick be.

 

[14-Year Old Virgin]

First off, this kind of thinking is what is ruining TNA. Why are we conversing about WWE storylines & Characters? This is the very reason TNA can't get out from under the shadow of the WWE. This is EXACTLY why TNA will NEVER get the WWE to mention them on TV. TNA is CONSTANTLY reminding the fans of the WWE rehashing stories and wrestlers and CONSTANTLY mentioning them on TV. Why do you think WWE 24/7 is HUGE?! TNA made it to where they were at from doing it THEIR WAY, why TNA fans are embracing old WWE stuff is BEYOND ME.

Now, to answer your question, NOT A CHANCE. Not because of his size either. He sounds and acts like a pissed off postal worker. Like Homer Simpson getting mad cause Bart took his last doughnut. Cage would be better suited for that position. He already in this MEM storyline is coming off like an Austin Type Character.

 

[klunderbunker]

Have to say no. Maybe 2 years ago this could have worked to a degree, but Joe has been turned into a whiny baby over the last 8 months. Austin worked at the time because he was a rebel. Anymore, wrestling has changed to the point that there is nothing left to rebel against. Wrestling fans have heard and seen just about everything there is to see. Look around. There are so few original storylines and characters anymore. Santino-Old Honky Tonk Man. Hell he even refences him every week. HHH-Harley Race. Kozlov-Every pissed off Russian ever. There are so few ideas that haven't been touched on, and nearly every time, the fans would rather just go watch tapes of the old guys. There's just no reason why Joe should try to be Austin. Austin worked back then, but now, he's almost tame. Joe isn't a bad ass anymore. It just wouldn't work.

 

[waylon p]

why not make beer money into the bushwackers, abyss into hulkster, christian into the nature boy, consequences creed into junkyard dog, and matt morgan into the american dream, while we're at it?

i think we've pushed maximum density at tna in regards to mining the recent past for gimmicks, what with lethal, sharkboy, and the whole MEM thing.

joe was better as christopher daniels' hit man/enforcer back at roh.
when he went rogue from that relationship, he was indeed much like you describe, though.

 

[14-Year Old Virgin]

why not make beer money into the bushwackers, abyss into hulkster, christian into the nature boy, consequences creed into junkyard dog, and matt morgan into the american dream, while we're at it?

i think we've pushed maximum density at tna in regards to mining the recent past for gimmicks, what with lethal, sharkboy, and the whole MEM thing.

joe was better as christopher daniels' hit man/enforcer back at roh.
when he went rogue from that relationship, he was indeed much like you describe, though.

OMG! LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL Thats AWESOME. Thats the point I was trying to make and I thank you for going one step further. I never seen Joe in ROH as I had no way to see it as ROH is not televised here. I just don't feel Joe even if they were going to use him in the "Austin" Role would fit that persona. He couldn't pull it off. Like I said, the only one prime to follow that role right now is Cage. He is basically stuck in the middle now and could make that turn easily.

 

[briguywalboy]

i honestly dont think he can or will be...my reason is because there will never be a charecter like Mr. McMahon. Stone Cold became bigger and bigger the more McMahon became hated and hated. Joe doesnt have a charecter like that to build off of. Stone would have been popular without Vince as his enemy but he wouldnt have been nearly as revolutionary as he was unless he had a guy like Vince to build off of....

 

[Rusty]

No I don't think Samoa Joe could ever be the next Stone Cold Steve Austin. He just doesn't have the same gimmick as him. I'm not talking about the beer drinking part, I'm talking about the part where he just doesn't give a shit about anything. Joe's character has a short temper, but he is too nice and sympathetic to be similar to Stone Cold. I agree with someone that said Stone Cold's gimmick was a mixture between a serious ass kicking character, as well as being a comedy character when speaking on the mic.

Joe isn't a comedy character by any means. He is always serious and only thinks about whipping his opponent's ass, but yet he is always cheered by the fans despite acting heelish. Stone Cold always wanted to do some ass kicking as well, but he did it in a babyface type way. Not to mention their body shape, wrestling style and mic skills are totally different from each others. Nobody will ever be the next Stone Cold, there is only one Stone Cold.

Also, I don't think Joe could pull off a gimmick similar to Stone Cold's. He isn't the greatest actor and will most likely be booed if he decided to destroy everything he sees. The reason why he is so over now is because he is currently being the "nice guy" and isn't destroying everyone he sees but only targeting the heels. So no, I don't think Samoa Joe will ever be like or similar to Stone Cold Steve Austin.

 

[Miko]

Rusty said it, there will only ever be one Stone Cold.

While we are on the subject however my answer would have to be a resounding no, he could probably play the character of "I do what I want, when I want" but he wouldnt be in Austin's league, he doesnt have the charisma, the ability to connect with the fans and I wouldnt even say his matches are as good. Austin is a hundred times the performer Samoa Joe is.

There have been plenty of characters in wrestling who beat up who they want when they want and Joe could probably play that character, he just wouldnt have the success of Austin or in fact most of the other people who have played a similar role (like Kane for instance) have had.

 

[The Undercover Man]

I could never see Samoa Joe portraying that gimmick of "i'll do what i want" he simply isn't cut out for it. Joe is way to soft and sympathetic to portray that persona i could never imagine him walking up to the camera and sticking two fingers upto the viewers at home, can you? If he were ever to copy Stone Cold then i'd bet there'd be chants around the WWE arena's and iMPACT zone.

Joe could never, ever pull the Stone Cold gimmick off, as Rusty said there will only be ever one Stone Cold. It would also look odd seeing a guy who isn't the most gifted performer running down the ring or to the camera and and speaking crap to the crowd or to an opponent. It just would'nt look right would it?

If Samoa Joe did try this gimmick and pull it off successfully i'd be amazed because lets be honest he isn't the most charismatic guy or the most hardworking person. I honestly think he would fail at this, not because i dislike Joe but because he simply isn't good enough to get the fans to beleive he is something like Stone Cold or he is portraying a gimmick like Stone Cold.

 

[image1986]

Clearly everyone is right joe can't play austins kind of charecter but I disargee he can be a badass though. Joe work ethic is good so that has nothing to do with why he can't play the role. Stonecold said himself he wasn't the best wrestler or had many moves but I believe what made him effective is how he played his charecter. Stone cold absopted the charecter and relied on his gimmick as the major thing to put himself over. Joe is the opposite his matches are good but don't have the it factor. He doesn't stand out enough

 

[L4L]

I can't see joe being believeable with that kind of gimmick. Joe was good as an unstoppable monster in TNA, but even that isnt possible for him anymore. Austin was one of a kind and Joe is no Austin in anyway. Austin had an appeal to the fans with the way he went about doing what he did. Joe for me has no personaility at all. I cant get into a Joe promo like I did Austin, why cause Austin's gimmick at the time was very original he was the bald headed badA$$. For Joe to try and become anything even close to me would be a very poor and lackluster imitation of what Austin did. TNA needs to come up with original ideas and gimmicks that make them unique. Stop copying WWE ideas and trying to pass them off as your own.

 

[Monkey_Mania]

Simply put. No. Joe will not be the next Stone Cold. He doesn't have enough charisma for one. He also doesnt have the same connection to the crowd the way Austin did. How is anybody going to relate to a Samoan? They're not. Joe is talented but in no way will he become the next Austin. Joe will always be an angry Samoan. Plus he is in the wrong company as well. If anyone in TNA were to break out, it would be A.J. Styles.

Joe is good, but he's not that good.