Samoa Joe Returns At AEW Dynamite: Maximum Carnage (AEW News)
Samoa Joe returns from six-month absence to clean house on AEW Dynamite.
Samoa Joe returned to AEW after six months on last night's special Maximum Carnage episode of Dynamite, helping allies Hook and Katsuyori Shibata clean house against The Patriarchy.
Hook was wrestling Christian Cage one-on-one on Dynamite, continuing their long-running rivalry, but the match broke down. Interference from The Patriarchy's Nick Wayne and Kip Sabian meant a disqualification was called in Hook's favour. Shibata, who'd already been attacked during the match, jumped in to shorten the odds, but The Patriarchy handled him relatively easily.
As Taz stood up behind the announce desk and seemingly readied himself to help his son, Hook, Joe's music hit for the first time since last July. Drawing a good pop, the former AEW World Champion helped Hook and Shibata deal with The Patriarchy - and Wayne and Sabian were downed as Cage and Mother Wayne fled up the ramp.
Samoa Joe is back!
Watch #AEWDynamite LIVE on @TBSNetwork & @SportsOnMax@Christian4Peeps | @730HOOK | @MotherAEW | @TheNickWayne | @TheKipSabian | @SamoaJoe | @K_Shibata2022 pic.twitter.com/i4eOIGYv4W
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) January 16, 2025
Thus ends half a year without Samoa Joe on AEW television. In his absence, the veteran had been reprising his role as Sweet Tooth on Peacock's Twisted Metal show, filming its second season.
Joe's last AEW match was a defeat to Chris Jericho in a Stampede Street Fight last July. This was followed by a backstage injury angle in which Jericho attacked Joe, facilitating his write-off.
Before his leave of absence, Joe had been aligned with Hook and Shibata on AEW television. The company had yet to announce Joe's first match back at the time of writing but given Tony Khan's booking patterns, a trios match pitting Joe, Hook, and Shibata against Cage, Wayne, and Sabian could be a logical destination.