4 Ups & 4 Downs From AEW Rampage (24 May - Results & Review)

3. The Real Learning Tree

This fan actually liked seeing Samoa Joe chew Hook and Shibata out for "running into the same fire and wondering why they keep getting burned". Joe is ace at promos like this, and he put forward the kind of intense 'tough love' expected from a mentor figure when younger guys like Hook make mistakes.

Who knows, perhaps Joe could take Taz's boy under his wing over the summer? Booking Hook as Joe's protege would echo the recent Chris Jericho story, but the Samoan showed more vigour in one promo than Chris did over a span of months. He'd be perfect as a leader of some hard-nosed group including Hook and Shibata.

It's hardly like Katsuyori's phone promos are sustainable anyway.

Joe's work here revealed that he'd be a better fit for the Learning Tree gimmick than Jericho. Any lingering Jerichoholics out there will frown reading that, but go watch Samoa Joe tearing strips off Hook and Shibata then come back. Now, imagine more of that goodness on TV.