Samoa Joe on His ‘Nope’ Spot: ‘It’s Not Rocket Science’

“If you see a rock coming toward you from the top of the hill, move a little to the left”

Samoa Joe has an outstanding defense when it comes to high-flying maneuvers.

He moves out of the way.

Courtesy AEW

“As a small youth in my younger days, if I saw something large or very destructive coming toward me, it was only natural to step aside,” said Joe. “It’s not rocket science.”

Stepping to the side fits the ethos of Samoa Joe perfectly. Part of the joy is seeing the reaction on the face of his opponent, who always seems genuinely surprised that Joe did not stick around to take the brunt of the impact.

“The cavemen understood this, too,” said Joe. “If you see a rock coming toward you from the top of the hill, move a little to the left.”

Courtesy AEW

The reigning AEW world champion, Joe is in the early stages of crafting a compelling title run. He defeated Hook in an extremely compelling match two weeks on Dynamite, which was followed up last week with a promo segment between the two men. Joe was also on commentary for the Hangman Page-Penta El Zero Miedo match last week, subtly enhancing Page’s status as a world title contender.

Swerve Strickland is also in the title mix, seeking to start his first title reign. But Joe believes this is his time, powered by the knowledge that he has exceeded expectations in every single place he has wrestled.

“I don’t harp on the fact that I’m not a chosen one,” said Joe. “It’s never stopped me from doing anything I wanted to accomplish in this industry. The only people who believe that are the naysayers. I’ve proven them wrong throughout the entirety of my career, and I’ll continue to do so.

“I knew I was the truth from the get-go. There’s nothing anyone can say that will stop that.”