Slayer_X
05-30-2015, 06:33 PM
WWE.com has a new interview up, talking with Samoa Joe. Below are some of the comments that he had to say.
What drew Joe to wrestling:
I had always been involved in athletics throughout my life. I remember after I was done playing football in college, I was looking for something to get into. I had done competition judo as a kid, but Jiu-Jitsu was the hot thing, so I went to a studio to check it out. After the class, there was a pro wrestling school. The instructors said I should check it out [because] they thought I’d like it. I remember after my first class, I fell in love with it. I took to it right away. Within a few weeks, I was training all the time. I would go to the morning session and hang out at the advanced session in the afternoon, even though I wasn’t in the ring, just to learn as much as I could. I knew it was what I wanted to do with my life.
NXT’s reputation outside of WWE:
The reputation NXT has is hard to describe. It’s this newness, there’s a tremendous hype to it. People are seeing the leaps and bounds that are being made with the types of talent filtering through NXT. Like the women, I watched one of the best MATCHES I’ve seen all year with Becky Lynch and Sasha BANKS [at NXT TakeOver: Unstoppable]. There’s a lot of hype and I know a lot of guys now on the indies would like to see themselves in NXT. They don’t view it as a B-level, AAA ball club. They see it as an exciting place that people are talking about and love the matches coming out of NXT.
Who, aside from Kevin Owens, does he want to face:
Absolutely. Finn Bálor is someone I’ve had experience with. I helped start the New Japan Dojo in Los Angeles. I remember seeing him and what he was able to do. And now, he’s No. 1 contender, so if it’s not going to be Kevin, it’s going to be [Bálor]. Tyler Breeze is a tremendous athlete, but he’s far too pretty. It bugs me. Eventually, when he comes back, Hideo Itami, too. We’ve locked up over the years and had our fair share of wars. I’m more than happy to have another with him. There are a lot of unresolved personal issues there. Hopefully, we can get into the ring and sort them out.
Other goals in WWE:
At some time, I would love to make a trip up to the main roster and wreak my brand of havoc. So many people I’ve come up with have succeeded in WWE. Though I thought the opportunity would never present itself, I’m here now. I’m in the best shape of my CAREER and I’m more than happy to fulfill the destiny that has eluded me for far too long, and that’s to be the WWE World Heavyweight Champion.
What drew Joe to wrestling:
I had always been involved in athletics throughout my life. I remember after I was done playing football in college, I was looking for something to get into. I had done competition judo as a kid, but Jiu-Jitsu was the hot thing, so I went to a studio to check it out. After the class, there was a pro wrestling school. The instructors said I should check it out [because] they thought I’d like it. I remember after my first class, I fell in love with it. I took to it right away. Within a few weeks, I was training all the time. I would go to the morning session and hang out at the advanced session in the afternoon, even though I wasn’t in the ring, just to learn as much as I could. I knew it was what I wanted to do with my life.
NXT’s reputation outside of WWE:
The reputation NXT has is hard to describe. It’s this newness, there’s a tremendous hype to it. People are seeing the leaps and bounds that are being made with the types of talent filtering through NXT. Like the women, I watched one of the best MATCHES I’ve seen all year with Becky Lynch and Sasha BANKS [at NXT TakeOver: Unstoppable]. There’s a lot of hype and I know a lot of guys now on the indies would like to see themselves in NXT. They don’t view it as a B-level, AAA ball club. They see it as an exciting place that people are talking about and love the matches coming out of NXT.
Who, aside from Kevin Owens, does he want to face:
Absolutely. Finn Bálor is someone I’ve had experience with. I helped start the New Japan Dojo in Los Angeles. I remember seeing him and what he was able to do. And now, he’s No. 1 contender, so if it’s not going to be Kevin, it’s going to be [Bálor]. Tyler Breeze is a tremendous athlete, but he’s far too pretty. It bugs me. Eventually, when he comes back, Hideo Itami, too. We’ve locked up over the years and had our fair share of wars. I’m more than happy to have another with him. There are a lot of unresolved personal issues there. Hopefully, we can get into the ring and sort them out.
Other goals in WWE:
At some time, I would love to make a trip up to the main roster and wreak my brand of havoc. So many people I’ve come up with have succeeded in WWE. Though I thought the opportunity would never present itself, I’m here now. I’m in the best shape of my CAREER and I’m more than happy to fulfill the destiny that has eluded me for far too long, and that’s to be the WWE World Heavyweight Champion.