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What’s the story?
The world of professional wrestling is full of larger-than-life characters who are decked out in flamboyant costumes. However, Samoa Joe is one of the few Superstars who defies this logic and dons more simplistic attire (on a relative scale at least).
The 38-year-old sports a white towel around his neck during his entrance and revealed that it is inspired by boxing icon Mike Tyson, during an interview with For the Win.
The background
It is rare to see a superstar of Samoa Joe's magnitude dressed in shorts that resemble the ones used in a boxing ring and a white towel loosely hung around the neck. Make no mistake, the attire fits his in-ring persona and style perfectly but it is intriguing to know why he opts such a style and the reason why he carries the white towel.
The heart of the matter
In an interview with For the Win, Samoa Joe revealed that he drew inspiration from a boxing legend and elaborated on why he wears the towel.
“I think partially it was the grapplers that I enjoyed wore a towel to the ring and they looked like they were ready to rock and roll. Mike Tyson used to come out with the towel poncho. I didn’t get the towel poncho. Just the towel. It’s something I just started to do and never stopped.”
Now Poncho's are a type of garment originally worn in South America. These are thick pieces of woollen cloth with a slit in the middle for the head.
Tyson, who is considered to be one of the all-time greats in boxing, used to wear a poncho when he came out to fight and Joe opted for a more simplistic version of the poncho.
Although Joe did not reveal where he got his towels from, he said that he has a roster of them.
What's next?
Joe is yet to win his first championship on Raw after moving to the main roster in January this year. However, he will have an opportunity to win the Universal Championship at Summerslam on August 20, 2017.
Author's take
It needs no saying that WWE Superstars can be defined by their attire. The Undertaker's famous all-black get-up or Goldust's golden face paint and skin tight suit, which were painful to the eye, are testimonials to the importance of what a wrestler wears in the ring.
Although Joe's style is uncanny in the WWE universe, it is certainly good to hear that he was inspired by someone as successful as Mike Tyson.
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