Looks can be deceiving. Samoa Joe doesn't have the chiseled physique of, say, John Cena or Randy Orton. But as far as maximum-entertainment value in pro wrestling goes, Joe is as good as it gets.
With the wrestling veteran having made his debut on WWE NXT on Wednesday night, we want all mainstream wrestling fans to get fully familiar with Samoa Joe. Check out these five facts about the WWE's newest star.
Samoa Joe Has Been Wrestling For More Than 15 Years
Yes, Samoa Joe might be new to the WWE, but he's nowhere near being a rookie to the squared circle. Born and raised in Orange County, California, the Samoan-American has been on the scene since December 1999 — wrestling everywhere from Japan to Ring of Honor (ROH) and Total Nonstop Action (TNA)... just to name a few.
He Had a WWE Tryout Match in 2001
Fourteen years ago, Samoa Joe had a tryout match for the WWE, going one-on-one with Essa Rios on the since-defunct Jakked. Despite showing off an arsenal of high-quality moves, Rios earned the pinfall via a moonsault from the top ropes and Samoa Joe wasn't seen around the WWE for a long, long time.
Jim Ross Originally Told Samoa Joe He Wasn't Ready For The WWE
Not only did Samoa Joe lose his tryout match back in March 2001, but adding insult to injury was Jim Ross — who told the talented wrestler that he wasn't ready to be signed by the WWE. In fact, good ol' JR just had a conversation with Joe this past March.
"It was the first time that we had talked in over a decade when I told him that, at that time, he wasn't ready to be signed to a WWE contract, to which Joe said motivated him [sic] and that he respected my honesty," Ross told Wrestlezone. "Over the years, I've become a big fan of his physical style, but him getting trained in the Japanese style of wrestling helped him a great deal to become the star that he is today."
Joe Had Noted Feuds With Daniel Bryan and CM Punk
During his several years with Ring of Honor, Samoa Joe had heated rivalries with CM Punk and Daniel Bryan. Joe and and Punk had three classic matches, in which Samoa came out on top all three times, successfully defending the ROH title. Joe and Bryan also wrestled to a 60-minute draw and an unbelievable cage match. This is well before Punk and Bryan became household names with the WWE. Classic footage.
He's Known as The Samoan Submission Machine
The Samoan Submission Machine. That's an incredible nickname, but one that's tried and true to his wrestling style all these years. Wherever there's an opening, Samoa Joe can make you tap out. Whether it's the Coquina Clutch sleeper hold or turning a powerbomb into a Boston crab, Joe is the master of clinching in clever submission moves. Peep some of them here.
Yeah, it's safe to say that Samoa Joe's WWE debut has been worth the wait. He's going to be a superstar!
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Photo: Mike Kalasnik | Flickr
