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What's the story?
Samoa Joe recently sat down with Monday Night Raw commentator Booker T for his Heated Conversations podcast to talk about his first year on the main roster of the WWE. Wrestling Inc. reported on the interview, and one of the main topics they discussed was the WWE entrusting him with more mic time lately.
In case you didn't know...
Samoa Joe made his main roster debut the night after the 2017 Royal Rumble on January 30, 2017. He would come from the crowd and attack Seth Rollins from behind as they were building towards the Rollins v. Triple H match at WrestleMania 33.
The heart of the matter...
Booker T and Joe first talked about Joe's first year on the main roster. Joe would explain how it went with the following quote:
"It really surprised me." Joe continued, "there were a lot of ups and a lot of downs, but I felt really good about it, man. I felt really good about what we put out on television and a lot of programs I've been involved with. It [has] been very, very fruitful so far."
When it comes to the increasing mic time Joe has had over the past year, Joe stated that he earned this time because the WWE knows how to exploit great opportunities. They knew that Joe could be as lethal on the microphone as he is in the ring, and then let him prove to a massive audience what he could do.
"Nowhere is there so much focus being put on your ability to be a compelling character." Joe continued, "WWE is very good at doing things that are advantageous. If you have the ability to go out there and get on a mic and be captivating, then they're going to do everything in their power to support that ability and make it even bigger and seem better."
What's next?
Currently, Samoa Joe is recovering from a foot injury and is reportedly going to miss the Royal Rumble this Sunday. At the time of this writing, it is unknown the timetable for Joe's return.
Author's take...
Being a fan of Joe's for a long time during his stay with Impact Wrestling, I am thoroughly pleased with how the WWE has portrayed Joe's character. He's being booked like he should, as a complete monster and though his first year on the main roster didn't result in any gold, Joe will be holding a title in 2018.
