After experiencing a great deal of success in TNA and on the independent scene, Samoa Joe is finally bringing his physical brand of wrestling to WWE.
He made his NXT debut on Wednesday during the NXT TakeOver: Unstoppable:
WWE
YO JOE!!! @SamoaJoe stops @FightOwensFight's assault on the injured @ILikeSamiZayn and @RealKingRegal! #NXTTakeover
He interfered during the Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn match and would later address the crowd:
He sent out a tweet after the action had concluded:
Samoa Joe
Notice has been given, I give no quarter I take no prisoners. You ready? #NXTTakeOverUnstoppable
Count Paul Heyman among the supporters of Samoa Joe:
Paul Heyman
Think "Morning Joe" is a wake up slap in the face? Wait til a MOTIVATED @SamoaJoe wants 2 make an impression! @WWENXT
Aside from some previous work as enhancement talent, Joe has been one of the top talents of the past 15 years to not work for the top wrestling promotion in the world.
The Orange County, California, native first made a name for himself in Ring of Honor beginning in 2002, and he added to his resume when he made the leap to TNA in 2005.
After a decade with Impact Wrestling, though, Samoa Joe decided to leave the company on Feb. 17:
I have decided to part ways with @ImpactWrestling. My very best to them moving forward, and my eternal thanks to the fans.
That news was met with a great deal of surprise due to the fact that Joe has been synonymous with the TNA brand since initially making the leap.
There was plenty of speculation regarding what his next move might ultimately be, and Joe promised that he had some great things in store for his fans:
Just a disclaimer the ride this year is going to be a wild & unpredictable one. You have been warned
That began with a return to ROH for the first time since 2008, but an even bigger splash was yet to come.
WWE was immediately brought up as an option by hopeful fans, and that possibility truly came into focus after Joe appeared on WWE legend Chris Jericho's Talk is Jericho podcast.
Per Jeremy Thomas of 411mania.com, Y2J announced following the interview that Joe told him off the air that he was in negotiations with WWE.
Now that Samoa Joe is set to join the global empire that is WWE, there is plenty of intrigue surrounding how he might ultimately be utilized.
It can be argued that Joe is seasoned enough to go straight to the main roster, but pure wrestling fans would likely prefer a stop in NXT.
There is a huge emphasis on technical wrestling in WWE's developmental system, and there is no shortage of potential dream matches on the table for Joe.
One of them could come against Finn Balor, who showed a great deal of admiration for his peer after he announced his intention to depart TNA:
Finn BálorThe Samoan Submission Machine is one of the best in-ring workers in the world, and he has a unique look that deviates from the norm in WWE.
Joe has been a top guy at each and every one of his stops in the wrestling business thus far. Based on his track record, there is reason to believe that will continue in his new surroundings.
