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Samoa Joe has long been one of the biggest names in pro wrestling to never sign with the WWE in a major way. Despite being a jobber for the promotion in 2001, Joe was declined a major contract because he lacked most of the attributes WWE was looking for in a star.
To remedy that disappointment, Joe went to work on the independent scene, and proceeded to make a name for himself as an outstanding worker and an incredible athlete in general. For years, Joe made up for his less-than-impressive physique by being incredibly strong, remarkably agile for a man his size, and by possessing an aura of legitimate danger about him.
Because of these assets, Samoa Joe eventually made his way to WWE, though his run thus far hasn’t been anywhere near as exciting or as successful as his independent run. To show the world what made Joe such an exciting wrestler, here are five matches of his that you might not have seen before, but absolutely must watch.
#5 Samoa Joe vs Jushin Liger, TNA Bound For Glory 2005
This was a short match in comparison to others on this list, but that doesn’t take away its importance. As the commentators stated, Liger was a 20-year veteran when this match happened, yet he still showed incredible agility and athleticism for a man his age.
Furthermore, despite Samoa Joe outweighing him by a considerable amount, Liger was more than able to hang with Samoa Joe, who was both younger and stronger.
Ultimately, this was an exciting and quick-paced match that really gave Samoa Joe a major boost in his profile. After all, he managed to defeat the legendary Jushin ‘Thunder’ Liger in just over ten minutes while extending his undefeated streak even further.
#4 Samoa Joe vs AJ Styles, TNA Turning Point 2005
This X-Division match was an outstanding grappling contest during, what many call, the peak years of TNA wrestling. Styles was a fast high-flyer and Joe was arguably the best worker in the world in 2005. When these two men clashed, it was a classic match filled with drama and excitement.
The crowd was fully immersed in every move, and though it was a smaller venue than your average WWE event, the audience’s (positive) reaction to the match gave it more of a big-match feel. Styles and Joe worked incredibly well with each other, reversing each other’s signature moves many times while also taking full advantage of TNA’s unique six-sided ring.
While a lot of credit goes to Styles for showing his dynamism in the ring, it was Joe who won the bout and managed to find a clever and logical way to out-work the now-legendary Styles. 2005 was arguably the best year of Samoa Joe’s career, and this match is but one of many reasons why that is the case.
#3 AJ Styles vs Samoa Joe vs Christopher Daniels, Turning Point 2009
This was a rematch from the legendary bout these three men had against each other at Unbreakable 2005. By this point, all three men had developed and evolved immensely as wrestlers, and were known as three of the most outstanding workers in the entire wrestling industry.
The match was full of creative spots and unique moves, including a camel clutch/leglock combination involving all three men. It featured Styles pulling out some of his rarest moves, including the Fosbury Flop. And it even featured Daniels tossing Styles into Joe in a truly creative manner. Although Styles and Daniels were much quicker and more adept at aerial moves in this match, Joe did an excellent job of showing off his own power and creativity in the contest as well.
Watching this match, you wouldn’t even be able to tell that this match took place four years after their first famous match together.
#2 Samoa Joe vs CM Punk, ROH Punk vs Joe II
Ring of Honor was still growing as a promotion in 2004, but its reputation for being the home of the best ‘indie’ workers in the country was firmly established by that point. As proof, ROH was the host for one of the most dramatic and brutal wrestling feuds of the year between Samoa Joe and CM Punk.
The two of them had already faced each other once before, but felt the need to fight again in a bigger match at a show named after their feud. The match was known for featuring a myriad of impressive technical wrestling and chain grappling that hadn’t been seen from either of them till then, and served as an example of why both men were being praised so frequently at that point.
In those days, CM Punk tried to make a name for himself as ‘the Ironman of professional wrestling’ and he succeeded in garnering that reputation. He and Samoa Joe went for a full 60 minutes, and the match ended in a draw (just like another now-famous 60-minute match between Okada and Omega).
This match elevated both men’s reputations significantly, and proved their abilities as wrestlers.
#1 Samoa Joe vs Kenta Kobashi, ROH Joe vs Kobashi
This is easily one of my favourite matches of all time, as it is such a pleasure to watch. Japanese wrestling legend Kenta Kobashi made a rare appearance for Ring of Honor, and faced Samoa Joe in a one-on-one match.
From the opening bell, this match had a big fight feel that made every move feel important. It was a very physical match, with Kobashi turning Joe’s chest a dark shade of purple after delivering some of the most vicious chops ever seen. It was also a fairly simple/straightforward match, with little in the way of move complexity, while also being very high on in-ring psychology and drama.
Finally, this match was made awesome because the crowd was so madly invested in this match. They cheered every single move and roared with approval at every big spot. You could feel the passion of the wrestling fans watching as much as you could see it from the wrestlers themselves.
This is a must-see match for any fan of pro wrestling because it shows how a one-time match-up can still be done correctly and stand the test of time.
