5 booking options for Samoa Joe when he returns

Samoa Joe debuted on the main roster in January this year and immediately became a major talking point. He aligned himself with Triple H, helping the King of Kings destroy Seth Rollins.

Samoa Joe even prevailed in a Fatal 5-way match featuring Finn Balor, Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins and Bray Wyatt to become the Number One Contender for the Universal Championship in April and followed it up with a terrific feud against Brock Lesnar.

However, an unfortunate knee injury put the Destroyer on the shelf shortly after Summerslam, temporarily curtailing his momentum. So, let's take a look at the five best booking options for Joe when he eventually returns.

#5 Stable with Authors of Pain

Will these three reunite again? — These behemoths should join forces with Samoa Joe

The Authors of Pain (AoP) are fixtures in NXT's tag team division and could shake up the main roster with their arrival. Both Akam and Rezar are two monsters looking to wreak havoc everywhere they go. They lost the tag team titles to Sanity at Takeover Brooklyn and are currently scheduled for a rematch against Sanity and The Undisputed Era.

AoP have spent over a year in NXT, and their move to the main roster looks imminent. They have teamed up with Samoa Joe in the past and have achieved success. These three Superstars together can be a major force to be reckoned with, and with WWE currently lacking a powerhouse heel stable, they can certainly climb to the top of the mountain.

#4 Intercontinental Championship Pursuit.

Samoa Joe has proven his quality on the mic and in the ring during his time in NXT as well as on the main roster. His championship feud with Brock Lesnar was one of the most talked about features of weekly programming due to the high-intensity promos and well-booked buildup to the match. Samoa Joe looked like a significant threat in the lead up to his match against Lesnar, and a win for Joe would have been wholly justified.

However, the former TNA standout couldn’t win the Universal Championship and with Balor reportedly next in line for a shot at the ‘Beast,' WWE should maintain Joe’s momentum by having him feud with the Miz for the Intercontinental Championship. Both of the superstars are heels, but Joe has played the role of a ‘tweener’ to perfection in the past.

A Miz vs. Joe feud will make the WWE Universe excited. If Roman Reigns wins the Intercontinental Championship by the time Joe returns, we could even have a full-fledged feud between these two Samoan behemoths.

Joe has been a thorn in the Big Dog's side, and an IC championship feud could end up being a confrontation of the highest quality. The Destroyer deserves a main roster title sooner rather than later, and having him win the IC championship will be a perfect way to utilize the Samoan Submission Machine.

#3 A feud with Braun Strowman

Braun Strowman lost against Brock Lesnar at No Mercy, and since then, he has not been able to find his feet on RAW. He has had matches against Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose, but both of them seemed to be one-offs with no significant future implications.

Strowman currently needs a shot in the arm, and an encounter with Joe can set the world on fire. Both the superstars have had a great calendar year, and are currently the only two superstars in WWE with a positive head-to-head record against the Big Dog.

Both of these superstars have faced Brock Lesnar in the last few months, and their stocks have risen tremendously. Joe and Strowman can produce a quality match, filled with some crazy bumps.

Both of these superstars have a knack of destroying their opponents in the ring, so expect several stiff matches between these two if they're paired together.

#2 Move to SmackDown Live

Could Nakamura meet his former nemesis again?

Samoa Joe is a quality talent and a credible superstar who can vouch for a spot in the main event of any show he is on. RAW currently has a problem of plenty with Rollins, Ambrose, Reigns, Miz, Wyatt, and Balor all having the talent to join John Cena and Brock Lesnar in the main-event scene.

Therefore, it will be difficult for WWE to keep Joe in the top tier of Monday Night Raw once he returns.His injury could be a crucial point in his career as it could lead to him being sidelined on RAW and not being given enough time to display his talent.

SmackDown Live currently lacks main-event level superstars, particularly on the heel side, and the addition of Joe to the blue brand could do wonders.

WWE can immediately push him to the top where he can feud with the likes of Bobby Roode and AJ Styles, and give the fans their money’s worth. Joe has got all the tools to lead Smackdown, and it could propel him to colossal heights in WWE.

#1 A program with an old acquaintance

Cena vs Joe is a Dream match for the fans — Cena vs Joe is a dream match for the fans

When Cena first came to Monday Night Raw, he was confronted by the Samoan Submission Machine, and a feud between these two was widely expected to take place. After all, these two men got their starts together at Ultimate Pro Wrestling.

Cena and Joe were fighting regularly in the house show matches, which was a huge indication of an imminent feud between these two superstars. However, Samoa Joe got injured, and the plans of a Cena-Joe feud were possibly shelved.

Joe vs. Cena is a dream match in WWE, and creative should look to initiate this rivalry as soon as possible. Cena is currently on a hiatus but is advertised by WWE for Survivor Series in November. Joe is reportedly set to return in the last week of October or early November, and a feud between these two could be on the cards.

Cena and Joe are both industry veterans, having wrestled for over 15 years now and a match-up between these two could be a straight-up match of the year contender.

Send us news tips at [email protected]