Samoa Joe will defend the AEW World Title against FTW Champion HOOK this Wednesday on AEW Dynamite.
In a recent interview with Sports Illustrated, Joe discussed his upcoming title defense against the young wrestler, his mission as the face of AEW, and more.
You can check out some highlights from the interview below:
On his title defense against Hook: “I’m very much looking forward to it. This typifies what I want to see during my reign–I want these first-time matchups with something at stake. HOOK is quite the dynamic little athlete, and he’s been doing his best to make his case. His record speaks for itself, and we’re going to find out if he’s the truth or not.”
On how HOOK exemplifies the attitude of his father Taz: “I had very limited exposure to Taz on the west coast, but when I did see him, it was almost like I felt a kinship. That no-nonsense attitude, destroy-at-all-costs, that’s who he was. That’s who I am. Now it’s exemplified in an athlete like HOOK, so let’s get in the ring and go.”
On voicing King Shark in Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League: “I’m going to bring along the savageness of King Shark. It’s going to be best displayed in the evisceration of HOOK in front of millions of people around the world.”
On his new AEW title belt: “That was done on my behalf, and it is a wonderful piece of gold from the Khan family. It’s not going anywhere for a long time, so we’re letting everyone know who the champion is. It’s my championship belt under my reign, so it needed to reflect my values. The belt was very fancy looking before. My belt belongs among kings and queens, not looking like it’s going to be paraded around the Hamptons on the weekend.”
On former AEW Champion Jon Moxley pursuing NJPW’s top title: “Moxley doing that, it doesn’t surprise me at all. If I were Mox, I’d look to take someone else’s belt, too. He wants to fight any other champion in the world but me. There was thought behind what he did. Let’s not deny that. And that gets back to the wonder of AEW: it’s a worldwide marketplace. You can compete against champions from around the world, not just hidden in your own pocket dimension where no one else can get it. If Mox wants to parade that belt around the real world’s champion, I’d be more than happy to give him a better perspective on where his championship reign really stands.”
On his mission as AEW champion: “My mission is to shift the focus back to the greatest thing in AEW, and that’s the wrestling. If not, there are going to be consequences. For far too long, consequences haven’t been around. That’s going to change on AEW television.”
AEW Dynamite will be held tonight (January 17) at the North Charleston Coliseum in North Charleston, South Carolina.
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Samoa Joe, the reigning AEW World Champion, is set to defend his title against FTW Champion HOOK this Wednesday on AEW Dynamite. In a recent interview with Sports Illustrated, Joe discussed his upcoming match, his role as the face of AEW, and more.
Joe expressed his excitement about the title defense against HOOK, stating that he wants to have first-time matchups with something at stake during his reign. He acknowledged HOOK’s impressive record and described him as a dynamic athlete. Joe emphasized that this match will determine if HOOK is truly the real deal or not.
When asked about HOOK exemplifying the attitude of his father Taz, Joe admitted that he had limited exposure to Taz on the west coast but felt a kinship with him. He mentioned that both he and Taz share a no-nonsense attitude and a destroy-at-all-costs mentality. Joe sees these qualities exemplified in HOOK and is eager to face him in the ring.
Aside from his wrestling career, Joe also voiced the character King Shark in the video game Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. He humorously stated that he plans to bring along the savageness of King Shark and display it by eviscerating HOOK in front of millions of people around the world.
Joe also discussed his new AEW title belt, which he described as a wonderful piece of gold from the Khan family. He mentioned that the belt represents his values and belongs among kings and queens. Joe expressed his desire to shift the focus back to wrestling as the greatest aspect of AEW and warned that there will be consequences if this doesn’t happen.
The interview also touched upon former AEW Champion Jon Moxley’s pursuit of NJPW’s top title. Joe commented that he isn’t surprised by Moxley’s actions and understands his desire to challenge other champions. He welcomed the opportunity to give Moxley a better perspective on where his championship reign truly stands.
In conclusion, Samoa Joe’s upcoming title defense against HOOK is highly anticipated by fans. Joe’s mission as the AEW champion is to bring the focus back to wrestling and ensure that there are consequences for any deviation from this goal. AEW Dynamite will take place tonight at the North Charleston Coliseum in South Carolina, and fans can stay updated with all wrestling news on eWrestlingNews.com or through their social media channels.