Samoa Joe Update & Major Backstage Uncertainty Ahead Of Tonight's NXT

Uncertainty reigns supreme ahead of tonight's NXT 2.0 launch.

by Andrew Pollard
Samoa Joe
WWE.com

With Samoa Joe having had to relinquish the NXT Championship, there's now an update on the Samoan Submission Machine's current status.

As per PWInsider, the decision to strip Joe of the NXT Title was made by the WWE medical team rather than by the NXT creative team. PWI adds the three-time NXT Champ is currently not expected to be out of action for an extended period of time, although there is no news yet on an estimated return time for Joe. It's also not known whether the Destroyer will be present at tonight's NXT.

Looking to spin this obvious negative into a positive, it's been announced that tonight's NXT broadcast - the first under the NXT 2.0 setup - will see a new NXT Champion crowned in a main event featuring Johnny Gargano vs. Kyle O'Reilly vs. LA Knight vs. Pete Dunne.

Advertisement

Additionally, PWI reports there is a lot of uncertainty amongst NXT talents ahead of tonight's show. Following the releases of several talents who did everything that was asked of them, some members of the roster feel as if they're walking on thin ice right now.

Previously, there was a sense of security for NXT names due to how Triple H would and could protect talent. Since the recent spates of mass releases, though, that sense of security has been lost.

Advertisement

One other element that is causing concern amongst the roster, is how they are not sure what they are walking into later today. With Triple H likely to not be at today's show due to his recent health scare - the Game undergoing surgery after a "cardiac event" - it's not known whether Hunter's usual NXT team will be running the show, or whether instead it will be some others from higher up the WWE food chain.

Senior Writer
Senior Writer

Once described as the Swiss Army Knife of WhatCulture, Andrew can usually be found writing, editing, or presenting on a wide range of topics. As a lifelong wrestling fan, horror obsessive, and comic book nerd, he's been covering those topics professionally as far back as 2010. In addition to his current WhatCulture role of Senior Content Producer, Andrew previously spent nearly a decade as Online Editor and Lead Writer for the world's longest-running genre publication, Starburst Magazine, and his work has also been featured on BBC, TechRadar, Tom's Guide, WhatToWatch, Sportkskeeda, and various other outlets, in addition to being a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic. Between his main dayjob, his role as the lead panel host of Wales Comic Con, and his gig as a pre-match host for Wrexham AFC games, Andrew has also carried out a hugely varied amount of interviews, from the likes of Robert Englund, Kane Hodder, Adrienne Barbeau, Rob Zombie, Katharine Isabelle, Leigh Whannell, Bruce Campbell, and Tony Todd, to Kevin Smith, Ron Perlman, Elijah Wood, Giancarlo Esposito, Simon Pegg, Charlie Cox, the Russo Brothers, and Brian Blessed, to Kevin Conroy, Paul Dini, Tara Strong, Will Friedle, Burt Ward, Andrea Romano, Frank Miller, and Rob Liefeld, to Bret Hart, Sting, Mick Foley, Ricky Starks, Jamie Hayer, Britt Baker, Eric Bischoff, and William Regal, to Mickey Thomas, Joey Jones, Phil Parkinson, Brian Flynn, Denis Smith, Gary Bennett, Karl Connolly, and Bryan Robson - and that's just the tip of an ever-expanding iceberg.