#6. He is inspired by MMA
As if being good in pro-wrestling isn’t enough, Joe is not at all shabby when it comes to real submission wrestling and fighting. Joe trains in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, judo and Muay-Thai at LA Boxing in Costa Mesa, California. He is also a frequent sparring partner of MMA fighter and trainer Justin McNully. He is also friends with UFC legend Tito Ortiz.
Anyone who has watched Samoa Joe’s career would say he is heavily inspired by the MMA and often incorporates MMA moves and holds into his matches. One such instance of this was his MMA inspired Lockdown 2008 match with Kurt Angle (who is also a fan of the sport) was like a breath of fresh air amongst the usual TNA lunacy. Another instance of his level of comfort with the MMA was in an episode of Rob Van Dam’s web series RVD TV showed Joe rolling and sparring with Van Dam and McNully in California. Joe looked pretty good and agile for a man of his size.
Published 26 May 2015, 17:04 IST