Samoa Joe

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Samoa Joe
Statistics
Ring name(s) Samoa Joe
King Joe
Joe Seanoa
Height 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight 280 lb (127 kg)
Billed height 6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Billed weight 290 lb (132 kg)
Born March 17, 1979
Samoa
Resides Huntington Beach, California
Billed from The Isle of Samoa
Huntington Beach, California
Trained by Cincinnati Red
Johnny Hemp
John Delayo
Debut September 1999

Nuufolau Joel (Joe) Seanoa (born March 17, 1979), better known by his ring name Samoa Joe, is an American professional wrestler, currently performing for Ring of Honor (ROH) and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA). He holds the record for longest reigning ROH World Champion, holding the belt for 21 months.

Joe is most notable for his 18-month winning streak in TNA. Although he had lost two triple threat matches, a four-way match, a battle royal, and an Ultimate X match, none of these losses have come by Joe being pinned or forced to submit. Due to this Joe was still referred to as being "undefeated", in singles competition in his TNA tenure. This streak ended at TNA Genesis 2006 when Joe tapped out to Kurt Angle's Ankle Lock.

Contents

[edit] Career

Joe's family founded a Polynesian dance troupe in the United States called Tiare Productions. He made his on stage debut at the 1984 Summer Olympics opening at the age of 5. He became a California State Junior Judo Champion and was an all league football player while attending Ocean View High School.

Joe started his professional wrestling career in September 1999 as the first graduate of the UIWA's now-defunct West Coast Dojo. He was trained under the guidance of West Coast indy legend Cincinnati Red, along with Johnny Hemp and occasionally John Delayo.

Debuting in December 1999 in a match against "Uncle" Jess Hansen just three months after beginning training, Joe quickly rose through the ranks of independent grapplers throughout California. He soon signed with former World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) developmental affiliate Ultimate Pro Wrestling (UPW), where he feuded with real life friend and future WWE champion John Cena and eventually captured the UPW Heavyweight Championship. He later became the longest reigning UPW Heavyweight Champion ever.

After finding success in UPW, Joe made his way to Japan, wrestling for Shinya Hashimoto's ZERO ONE promotion, fighting in its "Shingeki" series of pay per views and the annual "Burning Heart" tournaments.

During this time Joe also began wrestling (and continues to do so off and on) for Southern California promotion Pro Wrestling Guerrilla, where he has a standing rivalry with Super Dragon.

Joe now resides as a member of New Japan Pro Wrestling's Inoki Dojo in Los Angeles.

[edit] Ring of Honor

Back in the United States Joe joined the ranks of the East Coast-based Ring of Honor promotion in 2002. He made his debut at "Glory by Honor" as Christopher Daniels' "hired assassin", brought in to take out Daniels' chief enemy, Low-Ki. Originally booked for just the one match against Low Ki (due to the cost of flying him from California to Pennsylvania, which ROH had to pay), Joe impressed fans with his extremely stiff and hard-hitting style that resembled an MMA fighter more than a wrestler, which led to ROH booking him full time.

Joe quickly rose through the ranks and became ROH Champion, defeating Xavier for the belt in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on March 22, 2003. He held that title for twenty one months before losing it to Austin Aries at "Final Battle 2004", also in Philadelphia, on December 26. During Joes reign Pro Wrestling Illustrated officially elevated the ROH Championship to the status of "world title" after Joe defended it against English wrestler Zebra Kid at a joint ROH/Frontier Wrestling Alliance show, "Frontiers of Honor", in the United Kingdom on May 17, 2003. It was also at this event that Joe developed his infamous "Olé Olé Kick" move; an idea which got after watching a commercial during the English FA Cup (soccer) final. Low Ki challenged Joe to "get the crowd to chant Ole Ole Ole," which Joe accepted, and during his match with Zebra Kid he positioned the Kid on a chair, and performed the move thus the Ole Kick was born[1].

With his historic ROH title reign, Joe also established himself as the face of the company and a perennial main-eventer in North America. He elevated the title from a mid-card attraction secondary to established independent stars like Low-Ki, Daniels, and A.J. Styles, to the ultimate prize in Ring of Honor. Especially famous are his trilogy of title defenses against CM Punk (the second match earing "Five Stars" from Dave Meltzer, the first American match in 7 years to do so), and his match with Japanese wrestler Kenta Kobashi.

Soon after losing the ROH World Championship to Austin Aries, Joe became the promotion's fifth Pure Champion, defeating his (kayfabe) protege Jay Lethal for the belt on May 7, 2005 at "Manhattan Mayhem" in New York City. He held the title for several months before losing it to Nigel McGuiness on August 27 at "Dragon Gate Invasion" in Williamsville, New York.

In October 2005, when Japanese heavyweight superstar Kenta Kobashi made a "once-in-a-lifetime" trip to the United States. He was signed to two Ring of Honor shows, and ROH officials selected Joe, ROH's top wrestler, to face him in a singles match on the first night and a tag match the second. The first show was in New York City at the New Yorker Hotel. Joe proved to be a formidable opponent for Kobashi and after a back and forth match, which Dave Meltzer again give "Five Stars", Kobashi walked away with the win.

In 2006, Joe helped ROH to fight off CZW, and competed the in Cage of Death match at Death before Dishonor IV, but was attacked by Bryan Danielson. Joe was replaced in the match by Homicide, who went on to win the match for ROH. Joe is currently teaming with Homicide to fight against The Briscoes and he's back in the hunt for the ROH World title, having a steel cage match against American Dragon scheduled for early December. If Joe wins, he will wrestle Homicide at Final Battle 2006, where if Homicide does not win the championship he will leave ROH.

[edit] Total Nonstop Action Wrestling

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[edit] 2005

On June 19, 2005 Joe debuted in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling at the Slammiversary 2005 pay-per-view, defeated Sonjay Dutt in a match that saw him dubbed "The Samoan Submission Machine" by announcer Mike Tenay. Joe's next appearance would be participating in the Christopher Daniels Invitational Super X Cup defeating Sonjay Dutt and Alex Shelley on TNA iMPACT! to advanced to the tournament finals at the TNA Sacrifice pay-per-view on August 14, 2005. Joe won the tournament by defeating A.J. Styles at Sacrifice, despite interference from Daniels. However, as a result of Daniels' interference, TNA Director of Authority Larry Zbyszko made the title defence, scheduled for TNA Unbreakable on September 11, a three way dance, placing Styles in the match.

Samoa Joe proved his worth against Styles and Daniels in the three way dance, which was the main event at Unbreakable. The match would garner Joe yet another 5-star match, and would be the first for TNA. A.J. Styles pinned Christopher Daniels to become the first 5-time TNA X Division Champion, which despite not winning the title, allowed Samoa Joe's undefeated streak in TNA to remained intact. At TNA Bound For Glory on October 23, Joe defeated the veteran Japanese junior heavyweight Jushin "Thunder" Liger with the rear-naked choke. At TNA Genesis on November 13, he teamed with Daniels, Alex Shelley, and Roderick Strong (a team that Daniels called "the Ministry") against Sonjay Dutt, Chris Sabin, Matt Bentley, and Austin Aries in an eight man elimination match. Following a victory by Daniels and Joe (Shelley and Strong were eliminated earlier in the match), Joe viciously attacked Daniels, beating Daniels around the ringside area until he had busted Daniels open, then throwing Daniels in the ring and delivering a Musclebuster. Joe then went out to grab a steel chair from ringside and brought it into the ring, leading to Joe giving Daniels a 2nd Musclebuster, now onto the chair, and apparently giving Daniels a level-3 concussion.

A.J. Styles called him out at an episode of iMPACT!, saying his attack of Daniels violated an unwritten code of respect in the X Division. Prior to Turning Point 2005, Joe attacked Styles, saying he does not respect the X Division code (a vast departure from his Ring of Honor persona, who is a stalwart defender of their written Code of Honor). Joe defeated Styles at Turning Point and won the X Division Championship. Before Joe could injure A.J., however, Christopher Daniels came out and stopped him.

[edit] 2006

Daniels was later slated to face Joe at Final Resolution 2006 for the X Division Championship. During the build-up to the match, Joe spoke for the first time in a TNA promo, stating how he intended to end Daniels's career. During the match, AJ Styles come down to the ring to cheer Daniels on. Not long after making Daniels bleed from his head, Samoa Joe stopped going for the pin, instead dropping knee after knee on Daniels's head. AJ Styles, concerned about Daniels's health, called for the match to be stopped by throwing in the towel, therefore allowing Samoa Joe to retain his title.

Joe was then scheduled to face the number 1 contender, AJ Styles, at Against All Odds 2006 but Daniels complained that he didn't want to throw in the towel and wanted his shot at the title. Larry Zbyszko then made it a rematch of the Unbreakable three-way match, with Joe, Styles and Daniels. In that match Joe used a Muscle Buster on Styles, pinning him, and retaining the title, with Daniels screaming at the end that it wasn't over between them. Joe continued his feud with Daniels and Styles at the PPV on March 12, Destination X 2006 defending the X division title in an Ultimate X match, ultimately coming up short, losing the title to Daniels.

Joe was then proceeded to be taken out of the X Division, and placed with an unannounced opponent. On the March 25th edition of Impact!, it was announced that Samoa Joe would take on Sabu at Lockdown 2006 where all matches take place inside a steel cage.

On the April 13, 2006 episode of iMPACT! (TNA's Thursday debut), Samoa Joe regained the X-Division title after delivering an Island Driver from the middle turnbuckle to Christopher Daniels. Joe successfully defended his X Division title against Sabu at Lockdown.

During the May 11, 2006 episode of iMPACT!, it was revealed that Joe was a former mortgage broker when Sting gave details about his past life in a wrestling variation of Deal or No Deal to choose his partner for a tag match against Jarrett/Scott Steiner (in the interview link below, Joe confirms this is real, not kayfabe).

At TNA Sacrifice 2006, Samoa Joe tagged with Sting against Jeff Jarrett and Scott Steiner. Joe and Sting were victorious, but after the match, Joe left the ring and allowed Jarrett and Steiner to attack Sting, which he explained by stating that he agreed to only watch Sting's back "from bell to bell" (implying that once the second bell rang, his duties were over), but still had issues with Steiner. Joe added Scott Steiner to his undefeated streak, at Slammiversary 2006.

During the iMPACT! tapings on May 15, 2006, Joe was injured as he performed a kick, and it was reported that he tore every knee ligament except the Anterior Cruciate Ligament. He suffered a first degree tear to the Posterior Cruciate Ligament and a second degree tear to the Medial Collateral Ligament. Joe would remain out of action for 2 weeks.

On the June 22, 2006 episode of TNA iMPACT! Samoa Joe lost his X Division Championship in a triple threat match with Sonjay Dutt and Senshi. Senshi pinned Dutt to win the championship after Scott Steiner layed out Joe with a steel chair.

At Victory Road 2006 on July 16, 2006, Joe took part in a Four-Way #1 Contender Match for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship along with Sting, Christian Cage, and Scott Steiner. Sting won the bout by pinning Steiner.

On the following edition on iMPACT!, Samoa Joe answered an open challenge made by Rhino. Claiming that he felt frustrated over the events at Victory Road, Joe said he was answering Rhino's challenge because he had "heard he was the best brawl in town." A match between the two was set for the following week. However, this match was interrupted by Monty Brown, who was very vocal about the issues he had with both men. As a result of all attempts to put these men in matches ending in chaos, TNA Managing Director Jim Cornette announced Samoa Joe vs. Monty Brown vs. Rhino in a Falls Count Anywhere Match for Hard Justice, the upcoming TNA PPV. Samoa Joe defeated Monty Brown and Rhino in the Falls Count Anywhere Match when Samoa Joe pinned Monty Brown following an STO through a table from the Impact Zone ramp.

Samoa Joe would go on to beat Jeff Jarrett at No Surrender 2006 in a "Fan's Revenge Lumberjack Match", following a Muscle Buster. After the match, he ended up taking the NWA World Heavyweight Championship belt with him, telling Jim Cornette that if Jarrett or Sting (who Jarrett was scheduled to defend the title against at TNA's Bound For Glory pay-per-view in October) want the belt, they can take it from him ; later in the episode Jim Cornette agrees to give Abyss a title shot if he can take the belt from Joe, and Eric Young – in a rare act of courage and a great deal of common sense – tells Jarrett that he won't get the belt from Joe for him. On the October 12 episode, Samoa Joe agreed to return the belt to the Jarrett-Sting winner under one condition – the winner had to agree to give him a title shot.

On the October 19, 2006 edition of iMPACT!, Samoa Joe would be given the choice of giving back the NWA title or being removed from the TNA roster. Kurt Angle would make his debut and get into a brawl with Joe after Joe refused to give back the belt. During the brawl, Jeff Jarrett would take the belt back.

At Bound for Glory 2006 on October 22, 2006, Samoa Joe defeated Raven, Brother Runt and Abyss in a Monster's Ball match. The match ended when special referee Jake Roberts DDTed Raven, which allowed Joe to deliver the Muscle Buster to Raven for the pinfall. Later in the night, Joe was involved in a pull-apart brawl with Kurt Angle after Jim Cornette announced that Joe would be removed from the TNA roster if he interfered in the main event match that involved Angle as special enforcer. As Joe was being restrained by security personnel, he could be heard screaming "Let me fight!"

Joe would go on to lose to Kurt Angle at Genesis 2006, tapping out to Angle's Ankle Lock ending his 18 month undefeated streak. At TNA Turning Point 2006, Joe would avenge this, forcing Angle to tap out to his Coquina Clutch.


[edit] Wrestling facts

Samoa Joe performs a senton on Alex Shelley during an episode of TNA iMPACT!
Enlarge
Samoa Joe performs a senton on Alex Shelley during an episode of TNA iMPACT!
  • Finishing moves
  • Signature moves
  • Nicknames
  • "The Samoan Submission Machine"
  • "The Undefeated Samoan Submission Machine"
  • Quotes
  • "I am Samoa Joe, and I am pro wrestling"
  • "The baddest motherfucker on the planet"
  • "The champ is here!"
  • "With me, it's not about who's next... but who's left."

[edit] Championships and accomplishments

  • Extreme Wrestling Federation
  • EWF Xtreme 8 Tournament (2006)
  • Independent Wrestling Association: Mid South
  • Revolution Strong Style Tournament (2004)
  • Twin Wrestling Entertainment
  • TWE Heavyweight Championship (1 time) (current)
  • United Independent Wrestling Alliance
  • UIWA Tag Team Championship (1 time)
  • UPW Championship (1 time)
  • UPW No Hold Barred Championship (2 times)
  • 5 Star Match: vs CM Punk (ROH Joe vs Punk 2, October 16, 2004)
  • 2005 Most Outstanding Wrestler
  • 2005 Best Brawler
  • 2005 Match of the Year (vs Kenta Kobashi)
  • 5 Star Match: vs Christopher Daniels vs A.J. Styles (TNA Unbreakable, September 11, 2005)
  • 5 Star Match: vs Kenta Kobashi (ROH Joe vs Kobashi, October 1, 2005)

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Samoa Joe interview highlights from PWTorch

[edit] External links

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