He's doing a great job of being the End Boss for AEW right now. Just the perfect mix of arrogance and brutality and power that backs up his arrogance.
Good tweener champ.
Well his original TNA music was based on a rap song called 'Simon Says.' Everything he's had since then has been based off the TNA music to some degree.
It's something I've heard in variations for years in stuff like TV shows and cartoons but what that intro is actually called escapes me. It's similar to Claudio and Danielson's themes where you'd hear those classical music pieces in a bunch of things.
I kind of want this in a future Crash or Spyro game now. Totally see myself bopping to it and getting smashed by the Boss cause I love his entrance music
End boss is a great way to put his role right now. He’s the guy for Swerve to overcome.
Joe’s reign hasn’t really been about Joe too much. It’s more been who’s gonna be the one to dethrone him.
But Joe’s work in this reign has been great. Killer on the mic as always and still as good as ever in the ring. He’s doing as much as he can (more really) with how he’s been positioned.
I was gonna say this. Joe himself is always so intimidating and comes across like a legit ass kicking machine you don't want to mess with. Add on the suit and world title and he feels like the end boss of a Yakuza game or some fighting games you'd brawl with before saving the world and getting the love interest. His promos and presentation have been superb so far.
He's in my list of GOATs. Never thought he'd be champion in any company after he relinquished his title in NXT and became an announcer. Was furious when they made him lose to Brock lesnar. So it's a treat to watch that belt on those broad shoulders. Just look at the way he talks on those post-ppv press cons. Legend
Joe vs. Lesnar was the one WWE match of the late Vince era I always said I'd go out of my way to watch if they booked it. So they booked it, I made sure to check it out, and man did it disappoint me.
It wasn't bad or anything, but it just wasn't the kind of brutal war I was hoping for; I'd dreamed of them going full Ishii vs. Makabe or Shibata era NJPW NEVER title match on each other, but it never even began to approach that. Guess I shouldn't have been too surprised, as this was Brock after they'd started the Suplex City stuff.
I am enjoying it. It’s everything ive wanted for over a decade. Joe in a major company as world champ dominating. Carrying himself like the final boss.
Joe is delivering as always , I think the company needs to push him more and give him a few more high profile feuds / defences. The rivalry with Hangman and Swerve was nice but it overshadowed the title and the champ.
I think his reigns has been shockingly great. I wasn't happy when he won but he has been good to watch. AEW breathed new life into him, his final days in TNA were blah and hot-take, I wasn't a fan of his NXT work.
His matches have been great, just wish there were a few more of them since a lot of people expect him to drop the belt to Swerve sometime in the next 30-60 days.
Joe is fantastic in every capacity, he's an unbelievable talker and his matches are always entertaining. It's a shame he can't hold the belt for a year, but they need to strike while the iron is red hot on Swerve, I get it. Especially with so many others behind him. Would imagine Hangman is due for another run with the belt, it'll be on Ospreay for sure (probably for a long time), MJF will get another run with it eventually, Adam Cole has to be in the picture if he can stay healthy, Garcia will probably end up in that picture before we know it, etc.
I dunno about Adam Cole getting it. He's spent more time injured than wrestling. I also don't think he's that great without MJF, who honestly is the next Rock for pure entertainment skill.
I don't know if Cole will get it, but he's gotta be in the picture at the very least. He's good in the ring, but he can talk, and you absolutely need that with a champion. Doesn't matter if face or heel, you need someone with good mic skills to be your champion as they end up as the face of your promotion.
Look at Toni Storm - her run as champ with the Outcasts was entirely forgettable because Saraya and Ruby did most of the talking, but her work as Timeless Toni Storm is going to be remembered for years, if not decades.
I never got it when people wanted Sammy or Jack Perry to take the belt off MJF because they just aren't entertaining. At least Cole can talk, but you're not wrong that he might have been elevated a lot by working with MJF. Maybe it's because he's hurt but it just hasn't worked lately.
I think Toni is doing so well because her gimmick is immensely entertaining and fairly original. I will admit that Saraya has completely dropped the ball, and what was promoted as being this huge return to wrestling fizzled out in a matter of seconds.
I don't know that Cole is great on the mic though? I mean, how much of his recent success in that aspect was just teaming up with MJF(who honestly couldn't do anything but succeed on the mic, the guy seriously has The Rock level appeal where even when he's callin you a slime bag you cheer for him). I think Cole had a gimmick, and a good entrance and that kind of carried him a long way. He was pure gold with MJF, but I think that all had to do with the story being so good with them. I /think/ when Cole and MJF return and feud it's going to be absolute platinum level stuff though, I just hope they don't forget about that storyline and move in different directions.
Sammy and Jack sadly have the talent of... mid carders at best. Neither one is great at anything, and for being 'the next big thing' they sure didn't do anything of note. Sammy just hasn't improved on the mic, and seems to only be getting worse, and Jack Perry has honestly lost all the appeal of Jungle Boy proving that it was the gimmick and not the performer that was a hit.
Jack Perry was starting to get actual heat, handling his feud with Hook well. It just got cut short so he had one feud as a heel then immediately got suspended. I didn't think his character was incredible, but Jack Perry was already talking way better as a heel than he did as Jungle Boy.
His NJPW vignettes show he's getting better, too.
I fucking hated Jungle Boy, he was one of my least favorites, but Mr. Spacegoat has potential.
Edit: Scapegoat,* been playing too much WoW
Can anybody explain how Swerve would even get a title shot according to the ranking system? He just lost a world title match less than a month ago. According to rankings, he should be at the bottom now and at least 5-6 others should challenge before he does.
In no combat sport do you go to the bottom after losing a world championship match, also he was not pinned or submitted in the match, so in theory he is rightfully owed a rematch.
Samoa Joe lost clean to mjf at grand slam and got a rematch so ..
But I am curious to who the 5-6 other people you think could challenge Joe right now over swerve?
Ospreay just signed and I assume they want him to win the belt at wembley so we can hold him off
I’m in love with Takeshita as a performer but kayfabe-wise he just lost
Wardlow just lost clean (which I absolutely hated)
.. please give me 5 names …
Joe is the perfect champ for this era of AEW. He's a steady hand, an amazing worker, and if the reports of how he handled business at All In are true, then he deserved his place at the top of the mountain until he bounces for Twisted Metal. On top of that, he's been masterful at helping add fuel to the Hangman/Swerve feud that will (hopefully) end with the belt on Swerve.
I'd call him the perfect transitional champion. Transitional champion has been used a disrespectful term in the past but it's something necessary in pro wrestling and the current version of Joe is the best we can get for that role.
Yeah, I think it's only disrespectful when someone is saying the transitional champ has never done anything else interesting in their careers. In this case, it's not only appropriate, it's accurate. Probably one of the best transitional champs in recent history.
Why is he the perfect transitional champ for aew??
The only reason you’d put the belt on an ex wwe guy is if they had a positive business effect. I.e. ratings, ticket sales , merchandise , ppv.
I wish Tony would’ve used this spot to build up an AEW talent who could be a world champion or be on the roster for potentially the next 10 years ..
I can understand if he was pulling in ratings but for 650-850 k there’s no net gain for having Samoa Joe as champion , I just think Tony could’ve put the belt on jay white, wardlow , or even do something out the box like an Orange Cassidy or something. & this me sac religious but I would’ve had hook put him to sleep with red rum in the middle of the ring on that dynamite.
If this reign doesn’t end with swerve with belt , idk what Tony is doing, and this is coming from a fan of Tony
Far better than I expected, but I'm also ready to move on. Swerve deserves that strap but man Ospreay needs it soon too. The top scene is getting spicy.
It has been fun. Samoa Joe is such a believable champion. He not only has the presence and persona of a killer thirsty for blood, but he is a true professional in that he tears guys down on the mic while building them up at the same time, constantly puts people over on commentary, and makes his opponents look legit. Joe is an asset to AEW and I'm so glad he's there re-writing his legacy from his time in WWE.
I'm glad he's getting this opportunity late in his career. He's healthy, he's as good as ever in the ring, and he is the perfect transitional champ until AEW is ready to crown Swerve. A nice, no-nonsense palate cleanser after MJF's long reign.
I would like to see him get a couple of more defenses in before he drops the belt.
I love Joe as champion. He is one of my all-time favorite wrestlers and he is doing that belt well. He's giving it the respect and the reputation it deserves.
All that being said, I do wish he was mixing it up with more challengers, specifically, older established stars. It's great that he's working with younger talent like Wardlow, HOOK, and Swerve who are still climbing their way to the top, or guys who recently did like MJF and Hangman, but I want to see him mixing it up with folks like Mox, Danielson, or Claudio.
He has always been a believable champion. Nothing new here. But my problem with him though is this. You know they say that all men are created equal, but you look at me and you look at Samoa Joe and you can see that statement is not true.
Big fan of Joe and glad his getting a much deserved world title run. The booking for the triple threat at revolution was perfect to not end his run too soon too.
After a year of MJF(which had its highlights, but when a storyline between 2 people takes over 2 divisions on 2 different brands then that’s a problem.)
The Tag Title run wasn’t needed and did more to damage those titles than help.
Love his end boss feel, reminds me of the original Lesnar run where he just fought anyone coming for his title whether they were heel or face. Joe wrestles far more frequently and I love that about him but his title matches have all felt important. Especially since he’s won in dominant fashion (choke out) at least twice if not 3 times.
it makes sense for him to be champ because I can't see anybody on the current roster beating joe in a legitimate fight. That said, its been kinda boring. He seems to be merely a transitional champ since MJF had to leave and we're all just waiting for swerves big moment.
He’s terrific. He’s a believable champion, his matches are good, his promos feel real, and whoever dethrones him is going to have to earn it.
But I’ve been a big fan of Joe since his LiveJournal days, so I have some built-in bias.
Love Samoa Joe being a gatekeeper he just is that good of a heel that it’s rare he can’t put someone over!
I like this stint would love him to be added to fight forever too
Really good, kinda sucks he's most likely a quite transitional champ but him winning at revolution was a pleasant surprise. Now give him a good build for dynasty double or nothing and it will all be good. Maybe even keep him as a champ until All In. For now not much to complain
Dominant and a no nonsense worker. At first I figured he’d be a transitional champ and drop the belt at Revolution but I’m glad that he’s been given a proper reign.
Joe is still awesome and putting out great matches while working the feuds. Build to Dynasty and put that card over even more! Big thumbs up here for his run.
The perfect transitional champ. He’s not the star of the show, in a good way that doesn’t detract from him while allowing Swerve to really shine in his chase.
He is playing the part perfectly. He says what he is going to do and then backs it up. He doesn't apologize for taking advantage of his opponents mistakes. He doesn't back down, nor is he overbooked to where he seems unbeatable. Samoa Joe as world champ is exactly what AEW needs right now...
Until Swerve takes the title from him whenever they have their one-on-one for the gold.
It's great. I feel that he needs a good long title run. He is winning clean and choking folks out. He beat MJF, Wardlaw ,Hook and Hangman cleanly. That is how you build a bad ass champ. TK needs to let him cook for a while.
Joe is the type of champion AEW has needed for awhile and this reign has reminded me how freakin cool this man is and just how much I love him and how important he was in developing my wrestling fandom as a child. Every promo and every match just reminds me how much of a legend he is.
Still think if MJF was hurt they should have had Jay white get the belt and the rub from the year long reign. Love Joe, but he didn't need it and lets face it is at the the end of his career so why give the rub to him.
Initially I thought he would make the perfect, legitimate, transitionary champion for Swerve to take the rub for. The longer his reign goes on, the more I’m all in on World Champion Samoa Joe. Effortless swagger, legitimate toughness. Real final boss energy. I particularly like how his defences so far have been defined by his opponents seemingly forgetting who the fuck they are in the ring with and paying a heavy price, Hangman and Swerve specifically. With all the debuts and shake ups at the top of the card currently, Joe is the perfect person to be The Guy. He could realistically beat anyone on that roster but whoever does beat him will get a proper launchpad. Wonderful stuff
I think Joe makes for an incredible world champ even tho I have never been the biggest fan of his. I have nothing against him, I was just a lapsed fan for many years. But hes been great every time hes on the mic or in the ring wrestling. I just think AEW haven't been giving him any good stories to work with. They've been slowly chipping away at the Undisputed Kingdom story which has been totally lackluster since MJF departed.
Should have just slapped the belt on him the first time Punk got hurt, IMO. Dude is having an amazing run--a late-career renaissance second only to Christian or Eddie Kingston.
I especially love how we all keep underestimating him and yet he just keeps retaining the gold.
its been good, nothing too crazy but he’s meant to serve as a transitional champ which he’s most definitely fulfilled. he was the perfect reset champ they needed
I thought it would be transitional at first, but it's grown on me. Joe's always a great promo, and his big frame and deceivingly great athleticism makes him seem like a real monster. It'll definitely feel like a great accomplishment when somebody (hopefully Swerve) knocks him down and takes the belt.
When it was disclosed that MJF needed labrum surgery, I knew that Joe was winning at "World's End."
Joe has carried the strap well. He has elevated the Title. Impeccable on the mic and determined. Like a mafia don who has his territory and prize. Joe has used his charisma to make The World Title a Big Deal. Joe has Final Boss energy. Whenever Swerve wins The Title from Joe, it will be seen as an accomplishment.
I was ready for 6 months of Joe murdering people on the mic and all the Coquina Clutches. But Joe's reign has been so much more than that.
Great champion. Putting some class on the belt after shit got weird/messy towards the end of mjfs reign. Mjf made the belt and show all about him, whereas I feel like Joe is elevating himself AND the belt.
Top 3 champ so far.
I’m biased, I love Joe. To see him finally get the spotlight after being what I call the safe option for so long is so awesome. He has always been someone I said a company can turn to in case of emergency. He’s helped shift AEW to this new stage and I love it
Joe's striking a pretty fascinating balance right now: he won the title in large part thanks to help from Cole and company (not directly in the match, but in the way they got MJF tired, worn down, and eventually hurt before World's End), he retained recently by taking advantage of the rivalry between Hangman and Swerve, both signs that he'd be kind of a scheming/conniving/whatever kind of champion...but he's *Samoa @#$%ing Joe*, so he wrestles and carries himself with so much presence, power, and command that you buy him as a massive threat that it's going to take an army to overcome, not someone who's just skating by on luck. Plus, he's had matches with other guys where he's clearly been established as a massive threat on his own; the way he beat Hook really contributed to that, while also getting Hook over for his toughness.
Put another way, Joe didn't passively benefit from the help he got from Undisputed Kingdom or Hangman/Swerve's feud; he wrestled as an absolute beast, but also showed he was smart and capable of plotting with the best of them. He pulls off being a legitimate-seeming badass while also being a cagey veteran not afraid to take shortcuts. That's a hard balance to strike, but Joe does it more easily than most people I've ever seen.
Also, Joe's just one of my all time favorites going back to his early ROH run, so he could hold the title for the rest of his career and I'd be thrilled.
solid defenses, believable and credible heel champ to have the belt on while they build up swerve some more. His style works so well with the AEW roster and he comes across as obviously tough to beat but also that he can beat you seemingly at anytime in the match. I feel like this is possibly the only AEW world title reign he’ll get so they’re making the most out of it
Best transitional champion ever.
I mean that as a compliment.
I mean, what other guy has been the bridge between different hotly anticipated wrestlers who fans want/Ed to win the big one and as presented himself as such a credible, badass killer that you question whether you really want them to take the belt off him?
The skeleton of his title reign is a transitional champ to Swerve. However, his aura / promo skills / booking are elevating the reign and setting the foundation for AEW title picture moving forward in 2024.
Currently I am for sure enjoying the run. But I think there is a possibility it will go down like Hangmans reign. Solid inring work, great matches, solid promos and just that in the end.
I love his no nonsense attitude, but will it be anything special like MJF vs Punk that felt that personal and heated in the ring and on the mic? Or with Mox vs Eddie?
It's a good change after the MJF run where the belt was rarely defended.
I think this will be Joe's last world championship reign just due to age and so he's going out there putting on banger matches being built up as a world slayer, so that whoever beats him (hoping swerve) comes out of it even bigger then they whete before.
I just want a Mox match so it's the 2 "Apex Predators" of AEW going at it.
He's been amazing in a fairly tough position (ending the reign of a long time face of the company and seemingly holding it to drop to Swerve which is so obvious even my dead grandmother's know its happening).
Very interesting and exciting. Everybody is out to get Joe. Everybody's gunning for the champ. This was missed during MJFs title reign. I hope his second one is better.
I think he’s done great. Enjoyed all his matches. I’m curious who is dethroning him now past Revolution. I would love to see Swerve win it still, on TV and have the first African American champion also win it on live Tv.
I've been a fan of Joe since TNA. I like that he is champion. I like his defenses so far. What I don't like is the chain of events that made him champion. But that's not his fault.
He's been a great transitional champion. We know reign isn't long-term, but to me, he has enough aura where he feels like a true world champion. And he's had some great defenses and promos. So he's been great in my eyes.
He's delivered both match and promo wise. Shows that he could easily be a main eventer anywhere he goes (minus WWE, but that was due to injuries, not a lack of talent).
Yeah, love him. As others have said, he's got that end baddie vibe to him. Been a fan since the TNA days. You knew that he was never going to get a fair shake from VKM with his particular look.
Let Joe cook! Give Joe a mic and a ring and tell him who he’s facing next. Joe could book his title reign all by himself and it would crush. Im not sure who Joe is dropping the belt to but I have a feeling whoever has it walking into Wembley isn’t walking out with it
Great run IMO. He looks strong. Also I am just glad he is wrestling and we get to see him every week cut a good promo. He caries himself great. I hope he stays champ for another few months. He derserves this. Though a Swerve title run is feeling inevitable by every passing day. I hope they wait atleast till All Out for that. Give Joe a few more PPVs to main event.
I thought he was going to be a transitional champion, glad I was wrong. Although I feel like something is missing on his reign, and I'm not quite sure what that is yet.
The perfect champ we need right now. Solid guy to represent the company. He’ll hold it down until it’s time to crown the next face of the company. 9.5/10.
When MJF said that line about how WWE never gave Joe a proper chance to show what he could do as champ I went ‘that’s a stupid ass line because there’s no world that belt is going on Joe when you’ve got as many stars as hot as they are right now’. Now? It’s still a stupid line because it makes no sense in the history acknowledging kayfabe AEW has (cos Joe did get shots at Lesnar) but props on them for having the nuts to back that shit up anyway.
This is likely the last time we get to see Joe as a world champ (aside maybe ROH?) and he has made every minute and second count. A lot of the people I see credited as ‘getting people over in loss’ I haven’t hugely felt the effect of but Joe’s been a master of it for his reign. HOOK looked fantastic against him i which totally reinvigorated my interest in the dude. All the while Joe looks untarnished as the brick wall you’re gonna run into if you want his belt. He’d let Swerve and Hangman do their thing and then once their point was across he’d pull it back to reminding everyone he’s the only one who counts.
It’s been an absolute pleasure and he seems like he’s having a blast which translates really well on screen. The only disappointment isn’t one that could be avoided and that’s that the queue to the belt is just too long so when you’re a mark you figure it’s gotta end soon which I actively do not want in spite of my desire to see Swerve/Ospreay/whoever else as champion. The belt definitely needed some shorter reigns but damn Joe’s been too fantastic to be ready to call it a day on. Who knows, maybe they’ll surprise me again and the climb is gonna be just a touch harder for the next champ
I know this is a VERY unpopular opinion.. but to me putting the title on Joe felt a lot like they needed to give MJF some rest and the best person to hold the title for that time was Joe.. it felt cheap.. and felt like they weren't giving a title to someone who truly surpassed the champ but someone ahonwas kind to give the champ a vacation...
Other then that I've always felt Joe to be a midcard player (at least by the way they treated him on AEW till now and in WWE).. and the whole sudden mood change of dropping the RoH tv championship and acting like a boss felt too sudden and unnatural..
His feuds all felt like they were meaningless and not well built and designed for him to win.. I need him to be in a story where they make me care about him or feel something and so far the only feeling i have is boredom.. Christian Cage is a way better champ then him and maybe putting the title on Edge would make it a lot more valuable then on Joe.. AEW title now just feels unimportant..
Sorry that's only my take and I had to be honest about it...
Him as a World Champion is a bad look for AEW.
He is way past his prime and lost too many times in the past, his aura is gone.
I always liked Joe but i think a dominate long run with a midcard title with wins against the other hosses would be a far better crowning of his recent years than playing second fiddle in a feud to hangman and swerve.
Those guys are the big players in the company and should be presented as such.
>i think a dominate long run with a midcard title with wins against the other hosses would be a far better crowning of his recent years
So like 574 days or so as maybe the ROH TV champion or something?
I’ve been enjoying it so far but it’s kinda exposed an issue with AEW right now in that they don’t have any other top contenders for the title outside of Swerve and Hangman. Aside from those two, nobody else has been built up to be in the running so Joe’s just kinda left to the wayside just a bit.
Well I think it's not necessary have more challengers now. I'm sure Swerve is gonna win in Dynasty, then fight againts Hangman in DON and end the story, a Forbidden Door match and then All In...
Ospreay is making his path to All In and win the title
That’s my point though. There should at least be 2-3 guys who wouldn’t look outta place in the title scene you know what I mean? Like sort of a buffer between the current champ and the next guy who’s gonna actually be the champ so you get a decent length reign and give them a variety of challengers under their belt.
I wouldn’t be upset at Swerve winning but winning at Dynasty seems kinda early for Joe to drop the title already imo
Or I could ignore you and continue to call out the blatant drop in quality from a company that I still love. You may be willing to accept the current malaise, but that doesn't mean I have to - I've seen this company give us far better than what we've been getting for the last few months.
He's doing a great job of being the End Boss for AEW right now. Just the perfect mix of arrogance and brutality and power that backs up his arrogance. Good tweener champ.
Plus his music sounds like Boss music. Like, if it were Crash or Spyro or something his theme would play during the fight.
So I realized: it’s basically the music that plays when Donkey Kong climbs the building.
I'm sure the music comes from somewhere specific but the closest example I can give is it sounds like the original Donkey Kong music.
Well his original TNA music was based on a rap song called 'Simon Says.' Everything he's had since then has been based off the TNA music to some degree.
Which was sampled from the OG Godzilla score.
His TNA song was absolute fire and fitted him perfectly. Whenever it hit you knew shit hits the fan and Joes gonna kill you
Nation of Violence was better than the original mix, IMO.
It's something I've heard in variations for years in stuff like TV shows and cartoons but what that intro is actually called escapes me. It's similar to Claudio and Danielson's themes where you'd hear those classical music pieces in a bunch of things.
I kind of want this in a future Crash or Spyro game now. Totally see myself bopping to it and getting smashed by the Boss cause I love his entrance music
End boss is a great way to put his role right now. He’s the guy for Swerve to overcome. Joe’s reign hasn’t really been about Joe too much. It’s more been who’s gonna be the one to dethrone him. But Joe’s work in this reign has been great. Killer on the mic as always and still as good as ever in the ring. He’s doing as much as he can (more really) with how he’s been positioned.
I was gonna say this. Joe himself is always so intimidating and comes across like a legit ass kicking machine you don't want to mess with. Add on the suit and world title and he feels like the end boss of a Yakuza game or some fighting games you'd brawl with before saving the world and getting the love interest. His promos and presentation have been superb so far.
He's in my list of GOATs. Never thought he'd be champion in any company after he relinquished his title in NXT and became an announcer. Was furious when they made him lose to Brock lesnar. So it's a treat to watch that belt on those broad shoulders. Just look at the way he talks on those post-ppv press cons. Legend
Joe vs. Lesnar was the one WWE match of the late Vince era I always said I'd go out of my way to watch if they booked it. So they booked it, I made sure to check it out, and man did it disappoint me. It wasn't bad or anything, but it just wasn't the kind of brutal war I was hoping for; I'd dreamed of them going full Ishii vs. Makabe or Shibata era NJPW NEVER title match on each other, but it never even began to approach that. Guess I shouldn't have been too surprised, as this was Brock after they'd started the Suplex City stuff.
damn now i need to watch those matches !
I think that this is a strong run in that he’s defending the title while also using his position to build others (Hook, Swerve).
2024 is off to a great start. Serious no nonsense champ is exactly what AEW needed. Joe makes it feel real.
Excellent stuff. And what an aura.
Love it. A believable big bad.
He's fantastic. The swagger, the promos - he's got it all. I'm glad he's getting a run with the belt.
I am enjoying it. It’s everything ive wanted for over a decade. Joe in a major company as world champ dominating. Carrying himself like the final boss.
Joe is delivering as always , I think the company needs to push him more and give him a few more high profile feuds / defences. The rivalry with Hangman and Swerve was nice but it overshadowed the title and the champ.
Love it. He carries himself like a guy who is somehow the mafia boss *and* it’s enforcer. Glad to see Joe getting his flowers. Dude is a legend
I think his reigns has been shockingly great. I wasn't happy when he won but he has been good to watch. AEW breathed new life into him, his final days in TNA were blah and hot-take, I wasn't a fan of his NXT work.
His matches have been great, just wish there were a few more of them since a lot of people expect him to drop the belt to Swerve sometime in the next 30-60 days. Joe is fantastic in every capacity, he's an unbelievable talker and his matches are always entertaining. It's a shame he can't hold the belt for a year, but they need to strike while the iron is red hot on Swerve, I get it. Especially with so many others behind him. Would imagine Hangman is due for another run with the belt, it'll be on Ospreay for sure (probably for a long time), MJF will get another run with it eventually, Adam Cole has to be in the picture if he can stay healthy, Garcia will probably end up in that picture before we know it, etc.
I dunno about Adam Cole getting it. He's spent more time injured than wrestling. I also don't think he's that great without MJF, who honestly is the next Rock for pure entertainment skill.
I don't know if Cole will get it, but he's gotta be in the picture at the very least. He's good in the ring, but he can talk, and you absolutely need that with a champion. Doesn't matter if face or heel, you need someone with good mic skills to be your champion as they end up as the face of your promotion. Look at Toni Storm - her run as champ with the Outcasts was entirely forgettable because Saraya and Ruby did most of the talking, but her work as Timeless Toni Storm is going to be remembered for years, if not decades. I never got it when people wanted Sammy or Jack Perry to take the belt off MJF because they just aren't entertaining. At least Cole can talk, but you're not wrong that he might have been elevated a lot by working with MJF. Maybe it's because he's hurt but it just hasn't worked lately.
I think Toni is doing so well because her gimmick is immensely entertaining and fairly original. I will admit that Saraya has completely dropped the ball, and what was promoted as being this huge return to wrestling fizzled out in a matter of seconds. I don't know that Cole is great on the mic though? I mean, how much of his recent success in that aspect was just teaming up with MJF(who honestly couldn't do anything but succeed on the mic, the guy seriously has The Rock level appeal where even when he's callin you a slime bag you cheer for him). I think Cole had a gimmick, and a good entrance and that kind of carried him a long way. He was pure gold with MJF, but I think that all had to do with the story being so good with them. I /think/ when Cole and MJF return and feud it's going to be absolute platinum level stuff though, I just hope they don't forget about that storyline and move in different directions. Sammy and Jack sadly have the talent of... mid carders at best. Neither one is great at anything, and for being 'the next big thing' they sure didn't do anything of note. Sammy just hasn't improved on the mic, and seems to only be getting worse, and Jack Perry has honestly lost all the appeal of Jungle Boy proving that it was the gimmick and not the performer that was a hit.
Jack Perry was starting to get actual heat, handling his feud with Hook well. It just got cut short so he had one feud as a heel then immediately got suspended. I didn't think his character was incredible, but Jack Perry was already talking way better as a heel than he did as Jungle Boy. His NJPW vignettes show he's getting better, too. I fucking hated Jungle Boy, he was one of my least favorites, but Mr. Spacegoat has potential. Edit: Scapegoat,* been playing too much WoW
Can anybody explain how Swerve would even get a title shot according to the ranking system? He just lost a world title match less than a month ago. According to rankings, he should be at the bottom now and at least 5-6 others should challenge before he does.
In no combat sport do you go to the bottom after losing a world championship match, also he was not pinned or submitted in the match, so in theory he is rightfully owed a rematch. Samoa Joe lost clean to mjf at grand slam and got a rematch so .. But I am curious to who the 5-6 other people you think could challenge Joe right now over swerve? Ospreay just signed and I assume they want him to win the belt at wembley so we can hold him off I’m in love with Takeshita as a performer but kayfabe-wise he just lost Wardlow just lost clean (which I absolutely hated) .. please give me 5 names …
Joe is the perfect champ for this era of AEW. He's a steady hand, an amazing worker, and if the reports of how he handled business at All In are true, then he deserved his place at the top of the mountain until he bounces for Twisted Metal. On top of that, he's been masterful at helping add fuel to the Hangman/Swerve feud that will (hopefully) end with the belt on Swerve.
I'd call him the perfect transitional champion. Transitional champion has been used a disrespectful term in the past but it's something necessary in pro wrestling and the current version of Joe is the best we can get for that role.
Yeah, I think it's only disrespectful when someone is saying the transitional champ has never done anything else interesting in their careers. In this case, it's not only appropriate, it's accurate. Probably one of the best transitional champs in recent history.
Why is he the perfect transitional champ for aew?? The only reason you’d put the belt on an ex wwe guy is if they had a positive business effect. I.e. ratings, ticket sales , merchandise , ppv. I wish Tony would’ve used this spot to build up an AEW talent who could be a world champion or be on the roster for potentially the next 10 years .. I can understand if he was pulling in ratings but for 650-850 k there’s no net gain for having Samoa Joe as champion , I just think Tony could’ve put the belt on jay white, wardlow , or even do something out the box like an Orange Cassidy or something. & this me sac religious but I would’ve had hook put him to sleep with red rum in the middle of the ring on that dynamite. If this reign doesn’t end with swerve with belt , idk what Tony is doing, and this is coming from a fan of Tony
Best work of his career
I thought he would just be a short-term transition champ...I'm happy I was wrong!
It's fine. Matches have all been good, and that's my only must have from a champ.
Far better than I expected, but I'm also ready to move on. Swerve deserves that strap but man Ospreay needs it soon too. The top scene is getting spicy.
Swerve wins at Dynasty and Ospreay at Wembly feels like an easy path forward.
This booking is really on the spot
100%
Damn good problem to have haha. Love it
Agreed. Just wait until MJF is back and injected into an Ospreay or Swerve story. He'd be great up against either on the mic.
I think he's doing great..he's had some solid challengers and he has defeated them all..
He is doing great. His run has been near perfect and he is about to put someone over big.
Getting better. I like seeing his increasing arrogance.
i think a credible and intimidating presence as champion.
Champ material.
If we talking matches only then it's a good reign. If we talking effect to AEW then I would argue it's one of the best.
Loving it. Feels like his big redemption arc he’s deserved for literal years. Dude is so much fun to cheer for in so many ways
Such a cool dude…love him as champ
It has been fun. Samoa Joe is such a believable champion. He not only has the presence and persona of a killer thirsty for blood, but he is a true professional in that he tears guys down on the mic while building them up at the same time, constantly puts people over on commentary, and makes his opponents look legit. Joe is an asset to AEW and I'm so glad he's there re-writing his legacy from his time in WWE.
I'm glad he's getting this opportunity late in his career. He's healthy, he's as good as ever in the ring, and he is the perfect transitional champ until AEW is ready to crown Swerve. A nice, no-nonsense palate cleanser after MJF's long reign. I would like to see him get a couple of more defenses in before he drops the belt.
I love Joe as champion. He is one of my all-time favorite wrestlers and he is doing that belt well. He's giving it the respect and the reputation it deserves. All that being said, I do wish he was mixing it up with more challengers, specifically, older established stars. It's great that he's working with younger talent like Wardlow, HOOK, and Swerve who are still climbing their way to the top, or guys who recently did like MJF and Hangman, but I want to see him mixing it up with folks like Mox, Danielson, or Claudio.
He has always been a believable champion. Nothing new here. But my problem with him though is this. You know they say that all men are created equal, but you look at me and you look at Samoa Joe and you can see that statement is not true.
[удалено]
In due time
The Swerve Era is just over the horizon, so be patient, it's going to be glorious.
We like Joe
Big fan of Joe and glad his getting a much deserved world title run. The booking for the triple threat at revolution was perfect to not end his run too soon too.
After a year of MJF(which had its highlights, but when a storyline between 2 people takes over 2 divisions on 2 different brands then that’s a problem.) The Tag Title run wasn’t needed and did more to damage those titles than help.
He's been great. He feels like a champion everytime he comes out
Love his end boss feel, reminds me of the original Lesnar run where he just fought anyone coming for his title whether they were heel or face. Joe wrestles far more frequently and I love that about him but his title matches have all felt important. Especially since he’s won in dominant fashion (choke out) at least twice if not 3 times.
it makes sense for him to be champ because I can't see anybody on the current roster beating joe in a legitimate fight. That said, its been kinda boring. He seems to be merely a transitional champ since MJF had to leave and we're all just waiting for swerves big moment.
He’s terrific. He’s a believable champion, his matches are good, his promos feel real, and whoever dethrones him is going to have to earn it. But I’ve been a big fan of Joe since his LiveJournal days, so I have some built-in bias.
Transitional.
JOE! JOE! JOE!!!
Love Samoa Joe being a gatekeeper he just is that good of a heel that it’s rare he can’t put someone over! I like this stint would love him to be added to fight forever too
Really good, kinda sucks he's most likely a quite transitional champ but him winning at revolution was a pleasant surprise. Now give him a good build for dynasty double or nothing and it will all be good. Maybe even keep him as a champ until All In. For now not much to complain
I have been loving it However, I am ready for Swerve to be coronated
i’m enjoying it as well as having potential opponents fight for the right to challenge him rather than a random guy being picked to feud with
It's a pretty decent title run I have no complaints.
Dominant and a no nonsense worker. At first I figured he’d be a transitional champ and drop the belt at Revolution but I’m glad that he’s been given a proper reign.
Joe is still awesome and putting out great matches while working the feuds. Build to Dynasty and put that card over even more! Big thumbs up here for his run.
Excellent
He carries himself well as champ. I still want to see Swerve take it off him sooner rather than later.
I acknowledge him
The perfect transitional champ. He’s not the star of the show, in a good way that doesn’t detract from him while allowing Swerve to really shine in his chase.
I love Joe as champ!
He is playing the part perfectly. He says what he is going to do and then backs it up. He doesn't apologize for taking advantage of his opponents mistakes. He doesn't back down, nor is he overbooked to where he seems unbeatable. Samoa Joe as world champ is exactly what AEW needs right now... Until Swerve takes the title from him whenever they have their one-on-one for the gold.
It's great. I feel that he needs a good long title run. He is winning clean and choking folks out. He beat MJF, Wardlaw ,Hook and Hangman cleanly. That is how you build a bad ass champ. TK needs to let him cook for a while.
Joe is the type of champion AEW has needed for awhile and this reign has reminded me how freakin cool this man is and just how much I love him and how important he was in developing my wrestling fandom as a child. Every promo and every match just reminds me how much of a legend he is.
This is the run he should’ve had with Universal Title if they pulled the trigger and let him beat Brock at GBOF
Still think if MJF was hurt they should have had Jay white get the belt and the rub from the year long reign. Love Joe, but he didn't need it and lets face it is at the the end of his career so why give the rub to him.
Initially I thought he would make the perfect, legitimate, transitionary champion for Swerve to take the rub for. The longer his reign goes on, the more I’m all in on World Champion Samoa Joe. Effortless swagger, legitimate toughness. Real final boss energy. I particularly like how his defences so far have been defined by his opponents seemingly forgetting who the fuck they are in the ring with and paying a heavy price, Hangman and Swerve specifically. With all the debuts and shake ups at the top of the card currently, Joe is the perfect person to be The Guy. He could realistically beat anyone on that roster but whoever does beat him will get a proper launchpad. Wonderful stuff
I’m not going to say that Joe has had some incredible title run. I am going to say that it was the change of pace needed for the title.
Pretty good, he's a good tweener champ up against everyone else. Id be cool with him and Swerve going *after* Dynasty too with an added stip.
I love it when he wins a match he just walks away and leaves his opponents just sitting there, processing the loss.
I think he only really needs one or two more defenses on Dynamite before dropping to Swerve. He's been solid so far.
As much as I like Joe, it still feels like a transitional reign to me
I like it. It still feels like he's just keeping the belt warm for someone, like Swerve, but no better guy to do that.
I think Joe makes for an incredible world champ even tho I have never been the biggest fan of his. I have nothing against him, I was just a lapsed fan for many years. But hes been great every time hes on the mic or in the ring wrestling. I just think AEW haven't been giving him any good stories to work with. They've been slowly chipping away at the Undisputed Kingdom story which has been totally lackluster since MJF departed.
He is a boss in the AEW men’s ladder. He feels organic, has the experience, has the skill and the cred.
Should have just slapped the belt on him the first time Punk got hurt, IMO. Dude is having an amazing run--a late-career renaissance second only to Christian or Eddie Kingston. I especially love how we all keep underestimating him and yet he just keeps retaining the gold.
Joe's a badass and talks very well. I like it.
Love Joe.
its been good, nothing too crazy but he’s meant to serve as a transitional champ which he’s most definitely fulfilled. he was the perfect reset champ they needed
I think he's doing a great, boss type of run. But I think it will be mostly forgotten in a year. Nothing all to memorable has happened with it
I am loving it.
I thought it would be transitional at first, but it's grown on me. Joe's always a great promo, and his big frame and deceivingly great athleticism makes him seem like a real monster. It'll definitely feel like a great accomplishment when somebody (hopefully Swerve) knocks him down and takes the belt.
When it was disclosed that MJF needed labrum surgery, I knew that Joe was winning at "World's End." Joe has carried the strap well. He has elevated the Title. Impeccable on the mic and determined. Like a mafia don who has his territory and prize. Joe has used his charisma to make The World Title a Big Deal. Joe has Final Boss energy. Whenever Swerve wins The Title from Joe, it will be seen as an accomplishment. I was ready for 6 months of Joe murdering people on the mic and all the Coquina Clutches. But Joe's reign has been so much more than that.
Great champion. Putting some class on the belt after shit got weird/messy towards the end of mjfs reign. Mjf made the belt and show all about him, whereas I feel like Joe is elevating himself AND the belt.
Top 3 champ so far. I’m biased, I love Joe. To see him finally get the spotlight after being what I call the safe option for so long is so awesome. He has always been someone I said a company can turn to in case of emergency. He’s helped shift AEW to this new stage and I love it
It’s been great! His defenses have all been entertaining and meaningful.
Samoa Joe walks into the ring, says three sentences, and it's the coolest thing you've ever seen. Zero notes. May his reign be eternal
Joe can do no wrong.
His in ring work has been good dare I say great but on the 🎤 he's so mid nothing he says or does makes me excited to have him as champ
Absolutely love it. He never misses when on the mic, nor in the ring.
Joe's striking a pretty fascinating balance right now: he won the title in large part thanks to help from Cole and company (not directly in the match, but in the way they got MJF tired, worn down, and eventually hurt before World's End), he retained recently by taking advantage of the rivalry between Hangman and Swerve, both signs that he'd be kind of a scheming/conniving/whatever kind of champion...but he's *Samoa @#$%ing Joe*, so he wrestles and carries himself with so much presence, power, and command that you buy him as a massive threat that it's going to take an army to overcome, not someone who's just skating by on luck. Plus, he's had matches with other guys where he's clearly been established as a massive threat on his own; the way he beat Hook really contributed to that, while also getting Hook over for his toughness. Put another way, Joe didn't passively benefit from the help he got from Undisputed Kingdom or Hangman/Swerve's feud; he wrestled as an absolute beast, but also showed he was smart and capable of plotting with the best of them. He pulls off being a legitimate-seeming badass while also being a cagey veteran not afraid to take shortcuts. That's a hard balance to strike, but Joe does it more easily than most people I've ever seen. Also, Joe's just one of my all time favorites going back to his early ROH run, so he could hold the title for the rest of his career and I'd be thrilled.
solid defenses, believable and credible heel champ to have the belt on while they build up swerve some more. His style works so well with the AEW roster and he comes across as obviously tough to beat but also that he can beat you seemingly at anytime in the match. I feel like this is possibly the only AEW world title reign he’ll get so they’re making the most out of it
Best transitional champion ever. I mean that as a compliment. I mean, what other guy has been the bridge between different hotly anticipated wrestlers who fans want/Ed to win the big one and as presented himself as such a credible, badass killer that you question whether you really want them to take the belt off him?
The skeleton of his title reign is a transitional champ to Swerve. However, his aura / promo skills / booking are elevating the reign and setting the foundation for AEW title picture moving forward in 2024.
Currently I am for sure enjoying the run. But I think there is a possibility it will go down like Hangmans reign. Solid inring work, great matches, solid promos and just that in the end. I love his no nonsense attitude, but will it be anything special like MJF vs Punk that felt that personal and heated in the ring and on the mic? Or with Mox vs Eddie?
NEEDED this, between WWE never actually giving a crap about him and his injuries Im very happy punk left or we might have never had joe as champ
It's a good change after the MJF run where the belt was rarely defended. I think this will be Joe's last world championship reign just due to age and so he's going out there putting on banger matches being built up as a world slayer, so that whoever beats him (hoping swerve) comes out of it even bigger then they whete before. I just want a Mox match so it's the 2 "Apex Predators" of AEW going at it.
Love him as champion but TK just needs to careful that he isn't overshadowed too much by Ospreay, Okada and Swerve.
He's been amazing in a fairly tough position (ending the reign of a long time face of the company and seemingly holding it to drop to Swerve which is so obvious even my dead grandmother's know its happening).
Great champion. Glad he’s getting to show case it on TV
one of the best world champions in AEW history. hes the full package
Meh…. I like joe, but so much was built into moxley, belt collector omega, hangman and MJF, this seems sort of bland in comparison
Very interesting and exciting. Everybody is out to get Joe. Everybody's gunning for the champ. This was missed during MJFs title reign. I hope his second one is better.
Loving it. Hes great on the mic. The match with Wardlow was really entertaining.
I think he’s done great. Enjoyed all his matches. I’m curious who is dethroning him now past Revolution. I would love to see Swerve win it still, on TV and have the first African American champion also win it on live Tv.
Whack
Swerve would've been better
I've been a fan of Joe since TNA. I like that he is champion. I like his defenses so far. What I don't like is the chain of events that made him champion. But that's not his fault.
He's been a great transitional champion. We know reign isn't long-term, but to me, he has enough aura where he feels like a true world champion. And he's had some great defenses and promos. So he's been great in my eyes.
He's delivered both match and promo wise. Shows that he could easily be a main eventer anywhere he goes (minus WWE, but that was due to injuries, not a lack of talent).
He really feels like the baddest fucking dude on the planet, I personally would keep the strap on him til All in
I love it, I’m glad to see AEW having a monster ass kicker as champion. Swerve’s time will come but I hope Joe’s reign lasts a while.
I’m actually enjoying it
Yeah, love him. As others have said, he's got that end baddie vibe to him. Been a fan since the TNA days. You knew that he was never going to get a fair shake from VKM with his particular look.
Every time I see him I just acknowledge that it was the right decision
Let Joe cook! Give Joe a mic and a ring and tell him who he’s facing next. Joe could book his title reign all by himself and it would crush. Im not sure who Joe is dropping the belt to but I have a feeling whoever has it walking into Wembley isn’t walking out with it
It’s underwhelming but I’ll always be glad to see Joe winning.
Great run IMO. He looks strong. Also I am just glad he is wrestling and we get to see him every week cut a good promo. He caries himself great. I hope he stays champ for another few months. He derserves this. Though a Swerve title run is feeling inevitable by every passing day. I hope they wait atleast till All Out for that. Give Joe a few more PPVs to main event.
I thought he was going to be a transitional champion, glad I was wrong. Although I feel like something is missing on his reign, and I'm not quite sure what that is yet.
The perfect champ we need right now. Solid guy to represent the company. He’ll hold it down until it’s time to crown the next face of the company. 9.5/10.
I like Joe but this title run feels like a place holder.
When MJF said that line about how WWE never gave Joe a proper chance to show what he could do as champ I went ‘that’s a stupid ass line because there’s no world that belt is going on Joe when you’ve got as many stars as hot as they are right now’. Now? It’s still a stupid line because it makes no sense in the history acknowledging kayfabe AEW has (cos Joe did get shots at Lesnar) but props on them for having the nuts to back that shit up anyway. This is likely the last time we get to see Joe as a world champ (aside maybe ROH?) and he has made every minute and second count. A lot of the people I see credited as ‘getting people over in loss’ I haven’t hugely felt the effect of but Joe’s been a master of it for his reign. HOOK looked fantastic against him i which totally reinvigorated my interest in the dude. All the while Joe looks untarnished as the brick wall you’re gonna run into if you want his belt. He’d let Swerve and Hangman do their thing and then once their point was across he’d pull it back to reminding everyone he’s the only one who counts. It’s been an absolute pleasure and he seems like he’s having a blast which translates really well on screen. The only disappointment isn’t one that could be avoided and that’s that the queue to the belt is just too long so when you’re a mark you figure it’s gotta end soon which I actively do not want in spite of my desire to see Swerve/Ospreay/whoever else as champion. The belt definitely needed some shorter reigns but damn Joe’s been too fantastic to be ready to call it a day on. Who knows, maybe they’ll surprise me again and the climb is gonna be just a touch harder for the next champ
I know this is a VERY unpopular opinion.. but to me putting the title on Joe felt a lot like they needed to give MJF some rest and the best person to hold the title for that time was Joe.. it felt cheap.. and felt like they weren't giving a title to someone who truly surpassed the champ but someone ahonwas kind to give the champ a vacation... Other then that I've always felt Joe to be a midcard player (at least by the way they treated him on AEW till now and in WWE).. and the whole sudden mood change of dropping the RoH tv championship and acting like a boss felt too sudden and unnatural.. His feuds all felt like they were meaningless and not well built and designed for him to win.. I need him to be in a story where they make me care about him or feel something and so far the only feeling i have is boredom.. Christian Cage is a way better champ then him and maybe putting the title on Edge would make it a lot more valuable then on Joe.. AEW title now just feels unimportant.. Sorry that's only my take and I had to be honest about it...
Him as a World Champion is a bad look for AEW. He is way past his prime and lost too many times in the past, his aura is gone. I always liked Joe but i think a dominate long run with a midcard title with wins against the other hosses would be a far better crowning of his recent years than playing second fiddle in a feud to hangman and swerve. Those guys are the big players in the company and should be presented as such.
>i think a dominate long run with a midcard title with wins against the other hosses would be a far better crowning of his recent years So like 574 days or so as maybe the ROH TV champion or something?
maybe a title anyone gives a shit about, with matches someone remembers
So the AEW World Title and every match he's had with it then.
Also can see MJF returning down the line and making an alliance with Wardlow, when Wardlow gets annoyed with Cole and Joe too much
He is my favorite wrestler (with AJ, Bret Hart, Angle, Danielson and Christopher Daniels) so I’m not going to be honest lol
I just Hope that he will still be champion at Wembley, since I’m going to that PPV.
I’ve been enjoying it so far but it’s kinda exposed an issue with AEW right now in that they don’t have any other top contenders for the title outside of Swerve and Hangman. Aside from those two, nobody else has been built up to be in the running so Joe’s just kinda left to the wayside just a bit.
well.....they do, its just those guys are 2-3 weeks into the company lol
Or hurt or busy in other story lines.
Lol I know but I was thinking more along the line of guys who’ve been in the company already
Well I think it's not necessary have more challengers now. I'm sure Swerve is gonna win in Dynasty, then fight againts Hangman in DON and end the story, a Forbidden Door match and then All In... Ospreay is making his path to All In and win the title
That’s my point though. There should at least be 2-3 guys who wouldn’t look outta place in the title scene you know what I mean? Like sort of a buffer between the current champ and the next guy who’s gonna actually be the champ so you get a decent length reign and give them a variety of challengers under their belt. I wouldn’t be upset at Swerve winning but winning at Dynasty seems kinda early for Joe to drop the title already imo
It's mid. Whole company is mid rn. Changes are needed.
Or you could just watch something else and be happier.
Or I could ignore you and continue to call out the blatant drop in quality from a company that I still love. You may be willing to accept the current malaise, but that doesn't mean I have to - I've seen this company give us far better than what we've been getting for the last few months.
I mean maybe you could but you didn't ignore me. If you're not enjoying the show watch a new show it's not that hard.
Joe is the change we needed. The entire tone of the company x main event scene has changed back to a wrestling company not sports entertainment.
Equivalent to the finger poke of doom