Backstage Update On Samoa Joe's WWE Future
The latest on Samoa Joe's status after vacating the NXT Championship.
The Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer is of the understanding that Samoa Joe may not be wrestling many matches for WWE going forward.
Speaking on today's episode of Wrestling Observer Radio, Meltzer stated that when Joe was re-hired by WWE in June, he was told that the 42-year-old was brought back to operate in more of a behind-the-scenes role than an in-ring one. Thus, anticipates Joe's wrestling schedule getting lighter after dropping the NXT Championship.
Joe's third NXT Title reign ended at 21 days on Sunday, when the veteran announced he was vacating the strap due to injury. Meltzer notes that the situation's vagueness (especially Joe letting go of the title despite stating he won't be out for long) means there's likely more to it.
The past few years have been riddled with injuries for Joe, who suffered a multitude of problems between 2019 and 2021, including an 18-month absence stretching from February 2020 to August 2021. His comeback match came against Karrion Kross at TakeOver 36 last month, where he won the belt.
Triple H re-hired Joe for NXT in June. This came two months after he had been released by WWE, falling victim to the promotion's latest round of "budget cuts". He currently serves a dual role as an on-air talent and member of NXT's scouting team.