Should/Will WWE go after Samoa Joe?

[RedRegan1005]

Somewhat shocked there isn't a thread on this in the WWE section yet, but maybe I missed it. If so feel free to move this. . .

As many already know, Samoa Joe has left TNA and is now the hottest free agent on the pro wrestling market. So simple question, should WWE sign him? And will it happen?

I think WWE totally needs to grab Samoa Joe. He would be a great addition to the roster, who if booked right could be a huge main event player for them. I would bring him in a serious role that would hopefully get over as a face. He sould be a take no sh*t kinda of guy who tears trough people and talks very little. And when he does have something to say its short, sweet, and bad ass. He could be the intense and serious babyface the WWE has been lacking for a really long time. Heck, they could also bring in the Samoan Suplex Machine as a heel to work with Reigns to help him in the ring and get him over more. Either way they need to sign him, however I have a feeling WWE will offer a low ball contract and want to change alot about his character, starting with the name. So in the end Joe will say screw that and go make a living in places like ROH, or NJPW.

What do you guys think?

Oh and the 2nd option should say WON'T no will....

 

[laodaron]

Lol no. Maybe in 2005, but anymore, he will barely be able to survive in roh. His career died after 2008.

 

[DCLXVI]

Honestly no, when he was feuding with AJ Styles maybe. He looks pretty bad now and isn't at an age to completely start over and would never be used as a threatening character in WWE... he'd be a comedy character. He is no Rhyno (who just debuted and is apparently a full time NXT wrestler now), who maybe older but is still intense and crazy. Was a big fan of some of Joe's work though, especially his moveset.

 

[Michael J. Fox]

Joe has more flexibility with the indies. WWE wouldn't have anything for him I feel.

 

[MCMG]

TNA underutilised him for years and Joe is now damaged goods, sort off. Plus, the age factor as well as the issue about weight. Obviously someone like Owens is doing great but he is clearly making changes and is pretty agile. Plus he does everything just that little bit quicker/smoother.

Samoa Joe went through a really bad spell a few years ago where everything he was doing seemed to be in slow motion. If he can regain that old spark and intensity then he would be a great signing. He is superb to watch and could have a role on the main-roster or in NXT. In NXT he could help make the show interesting after some of the current big names make the step up. On the main-roster he would be able to get good matches out of certain people even if he is just a glorified jobber.

If I were in charge, I'd sign him, initially for NXT because he will almost certainly deliver which helps the brand. Then have him be another guy on the main-roster. Is that a little harsh on Joe... perhaps but at this stage of his career, I reckon that wouldn't be a bad role for him. I highly doubt it will happen though. TNA guy plus his age just isn't a good combination.

 

[mizowns]

Yes of course.

People saying "age" lol he's 35. And what I have seen is Sting angle the hotest thing right now and he's 55.

If people talk about age, they don't know what proffessional wrestling is all about at all.

Big yes for Samoa Joe, he's awesome.

 

[DCLXVI]

I would rather them sign Bully Ray/Buh Buh with Velvet Sky as a manager and reprise his role as a hardcore badass for a short run. He would tear NXT up.

 

[Navi]

I've read some reports that say HHH is interested but Vince isn't. So it's anyone's guess. He would be a great addition to NXT, but I don't think we'll ever see him on the main roster. If Vince is a no go, then he just won't be there. It's ultimately up to Vince. I like Samoa Joe and would love to see him again, but I fear it won't happen.

 

[Dave]

Absolutely.

I said it on another thread on here but I feel as though the WWE should be the next logical step for Joe. He's done pretty much everything at that level and, honestly, it is right below the WWE in terms of exposure in the US wrestling scene. Having done everything there, it is time for Joe to take the next step and see what the future holds for him him.

Personally, I think that there are some great opponents in the WWE for Joe and some opportunities to take his talents and career to new levels. This is a win win situation for both the company and Joe. Makes sense to me.

 

[OYDK]

Oh definitely. I can kind of understand why some would say no, but when you have the chance to grab a guy with a great gimmick, real main event experience, and someone who's put on a few 5 star matches, you need to at least try. The ones who say Joe has lost that "spark"... why do you think he left TNA? He obviously wasn't happy there for a long time and thus didn't really give a shit. If anything can bring back the spark, it's performing on the big stage for the first time with a completely fresh roster.

Joe can go. Simple as that. Take away the fact that he's overweight and 35. He can go and he gets wrestling. He'd be a fresh face who can be inserted almost instantly into the upper mid-card and definitely somebody that would pique the interest of the casuals. I say this because Joe was the FIRST guy I noticed and became a fan of when I began watching TNA.

Than again, I thought WWE would at least try and acquire AJ Styles, so it's possible that they're is not interested in the older, homegrown TNA guys. But, they definitely SHOULD make a legitimate offer... if they will is another story.

 

[Mustang Sally]

YPeople saying "age" lol he's 35. And what I have seen is Sting angle the hotest thing right now and he's 55.

True, but I would think WWE would want Joe to wrestle a full schedule, while we'll be lucky to see Sting actually perform once or twice, I would think.

As for age, isn't Joe about as old as AJ Styles, whom WWE didn't want partly because of his age? Plus, Styles would look and perform a hell of a lot better than Samoa Joe.....if they didn't want him, why would they want Joe?

Looking the way Joe does, I can't see them having a place for him.....and yet, if the E is desperate for "name" talent.......

 

[Papa Pillman]

Plus, Styles would look and perform a hell of a lot better than Samoa Joe.....if they didn't want him, why would they want Joe?

Looking the way Joe does, I can't see them having a place for him.....and yet, if the E is desperate for "name" talent.......

Actually Joe's size and look may be the thing that would make him more appealing to the WWE than AJ.

According to Davey Richards, after the WWE decided to pull the plug early on their tryout experiment with the Wolves, he said that they were sent an email from WWE talent development director Canyon Cemen, that stated that Triple H felt that their "work was good enough to be on TV, but he already had a lot of Davey's and Eddie's."

If that is a true statement, its possible that WWE saw AJ as just another guy in that same mold. Joe on the other hand isn't, and he is a legit heavyweight(save the obvious joke).

If Joe could show at a Performance Center evaluation, the same way Kevin Owens was able to, that he had the cardio to defy his size, then I don't see why his weight would be a problem. Hell NXT is using Bull Dempsey, Joe looks to be in way better shape than that guy. Also, as I think I stated in the spam thread, NXT is a great environment because the daily work in the Performance Center would give Joe the opportunity to shed some of the excess pounds and reshape his body to a degree the same way that Kevin Owens has been doing. He would just need to be willing to show the same type of commitment that Owens has.

There were also confirmed reports that the WWE had chosen to sign indie wrestler Willie Mack after a tryout camp a few months ago, but the deal eventually fell through for one reason or another. And Mack is a guy who makes Joe look like a world class physical specimen by comparison. So weight would not seem to be a reason why the WWE would not be interested in Joe.

 

[King Patrick Star]

WWE should go after everyone in the Professional Sports Wrestling Entertainment business and give them a shot. You never know who will become a Star or who will draw in the crowd, given the right circumstances. If they can pick up people who I never heard of (who apparently are so great in the independent circuit) and place them in NXT and make them Stars, then the WWE can do the same with Samoa Joe. He was one of the few SuperStars to become a TNA Grand Slam Champion. He was for a period of time, the Face of TNA. Imagine the dream matches.

 

[pepentorresHHH]

No Thank you..... Don`t need to see it happen and I don't think it will happen

WWE has enough performers in NXT just as good if not better than Joe, that are younger and hungry for success. Not saying that Joe isn't hungry but he`s being on top of a major wrestling company.

guys like sami zayn, finn Balor, Hideo Itami are just as good a wrestlers. Kevin Owens IMO already provides any and everything Joe could bring to the table .....

 

[wrestler36]

I think it would be a great pickup for WWE from a wrestler's wrestler standpoint. It's pretty clear that WWE is doing its hardest to not make DBryan a main event player. Something like Bryan vs Joe would be a great distraction along with any combination of Bryan/Joe/Ziggler, etc. The 'sports entertainers' satisfy WWE's moneymaking needs, and the pro wrestling fans will be satisfied with actual pro wrestling.

 

[Wrestling Mind 300]

Would love to see Joe in the wwe however the badass big athletic character is already taken by Nxt champion Kevin Owens and although he'll be much loved by the fans, he is better suited as a idgaf about you heel Samoan submission machine who would undoubtly have great matches with the likes of Daniel Bryan, Cesaro, Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose.

I also remember Triple H not too long ago following Samoa Joe on twitter briefly before unfollowing him so that could be something to hold on to.

Although I'd like to see him compete in the wwe, considering wwe's name changing (Kenta to Hideo Itami, Kevin Steen to Kevin Owens etc), what in the world would Joe be called? Joes gonna a kill you is an extremely popular chant and I doubt people would stop chanting if Joe ever wrestles in the wwe.

If Joe does sign, I would love for him to go full beast mode on Nxt destroying the competition showcasing his new finisher, moveset climbing up the ranks in quick fashion like Kevin Owens did and what he did during the period of his TNA debut before challenging the champion Kevin Owens for title building up what should be a great match between two beasts.

 

[HurriKane]

Samoa Joe in NXT would be great to see in my opinion. Joe Vs Owens could be epic. As well as Joe Vs Hideo. I still think Joe can go, and can be of use wherever he goes. Joe going back to ROH or New Japan would be amazing as well A Joe Vs Styles rematch would be awesome in my opinion. So I'm excited to see where he goes. But I think NXT could work well for him.

 

[JoeMallard]

No Thank you..... Don`t need to see it happen and I don't think it will happen

WWE has enough performers in NXT just as good if not better than Joe, that are younger and hungry for success. Not saying that Joe isn't hungry but he`s being on top of a major wrestling company.

guys like sami zayn, finn Balor, Hideo Itami are just as good a wrestlers. Kevin Owens IMO already provides any and everything Joe could bring to the table .....

Which is why he can put them over. The matches they could have would be fantastic. Plus, it gives NXT more exposure.

 

[Wrestling Mind 300]

No Thank you..... Don`t need to see it happen and I don't think it will happen

WWE has enough performers in NXT just as good if not better than Joe, that are younger and hungry for success. Not saying that Joe isn't hungry but he`s being on top of a major wrestling company.

guys like sami zayn, finn Balor, Hideo Itami are just as good a wrestlers. Kevin Owens IMO already provides any and everything Joe could bring to the table .....

100% agree. Even though its a different company, he still managed to achieve his goal of reaching the top as a champion in TNA competing against legends such as Kurt Angle, Sting and solidifying his character which can be recognized by a many people .

Guys like Sami Zayn, Finn Balor, Hideo Itami, Kevin Owens, Adrian Neville are younger and are currently developing themselves as wrestlers and characters.

Btw I recently saw Rhino make his return on nxt wtf. I see him destroy this jobber and this got me thinking, imagine a team /stable with Rhino, Samoa Joe and Bubba Ray on the main roster. 3 frustrated veterans who didn't get the opportunity to succeed in the wwe and are bitter, end up creating a stable taking out all the younger superstars both on nxt and on the main roster. More tag teams are needed and this stable would make an interesting addition to the division.

 

[kadroan]

He should. WWE could use him in the main event/upper mid card as a heel. They're really lacking in that area and he'd bring a different dynamic that they desperately need.

 

[BenChillin]

In the past I'd say no. He doesn't have the look they want, and he's a bit older.

However, with Rhyno being on NXT, anything's possible. NXT is for the hardcore audience according to Triple H so anything's possible now. Further than NXT though, I doubt it.

You ever notice how WWE has their own versions of wrestlers? Like, I feel they didn't sign the American Wolves cause they have Wesley & Blake. So shit like that makes me feel that garbage goof Bull Dempsey is their Samoa Joe.

Let's hope for the best, but the bigger question is...

What would Samoa Joe's name be in WWE?

 

[FromGlasgow]

I think it would be great to have Samoa Joe in the WWE, The amount of dream matches alone he could have with the WWE roster would be worth it, Its not very often now WWE has a chance to sign an already known wrestler without coming up through their development system, I can't see it happening though as I don't think Samoa Joe fits their mold of how one of their superstars should look and with the exception of Sting they seem to only like to develop their own roster now, For whatever reason WWE has not had a good history of using ex TNA grown talent so I think Samoa Joe would be better off in the indies and overseas.

 

[stingray11214]

What in the blue hell would they do with him? They had Tensai and Brodus Clay, and look what happened to them? Samoa Joe of 2015 is not the Samoa Joe that was in 2006. WWE would not know what to do with him, and he really does not belong in NXT. Joe really needs to concentrate on Indy dates and NJPW/ROH. He will be used properly in those places, and be appreciated as well.

 

[JoeFromTomsRiver]

NXT's champion has to wrestle in a damn t-shirt for god's sake, so I think the idea that Joe's physique would prevent him from being signed is one that is no longer valid.

I think the WWE would take him, but I'm not sure if they would use him or PAY him the way he wants.

I'd love for him to go to NXT just to get his feet wet on how the WWE does things, but move him up to the roster as soon as possible.

If he was put in NXT and was still there in 6 months, I could see him asking for his release. Those guys get paid shit. And he can make a lot of money on the Indies, so if he's not going to be on the main roster in WWE in a short amount of time after getting signed, he may not be interested.

 

[wrestler36]

What in the blue hell would they do with him? They had Tensai and Brodus Clay, and look what happened to them? Samoa Joe of 2015 is not the Samoa Joe that was in 2006. WWE would not know what to do with him, and he really does not belong in NXT. Joe really needs to concentrate on Indy dates and NJPW/ROH. He will be used properly in those places, and be appreciated as well.

recently, WWE has done more and more acknowledging of the independent scene. I remember WWE.com last year did a big writeup on ROH and how Punk, Rollins, Bryan spent time there. With that being said, if WWE wants to take Bryan out of the main event picture, Joe could be an awesome foil. Maybe setup a 'king of the independents' feud. I think the crowd would eat this up. Joe could be the exception to the now rule that they need to go to NXT before being brought up. It would keep the shock value intact, and give Bryan an awesome feud if he's not in the main event