Samoa Joe

[8.0] "Samoa Joe is great but he is one of those guys whose work has a sell by date printed on it. Everything this guy did after 2008 was... just not very good. Mostly that was down to bad booking but he does have to take some blame for being a very stale performer throughout the 2010s and into the early 2020s. He had some uptick in WWE NXT and his AEW stuff is apparently decently good but even then he is absolutely a guy who peaked early and has been coasting by on a reputation ever since."

[10.0] "One of the GOATs imo. Just one of those undeniably cool people in wrestling that you can show to a non-wrestling fan and they'll immediately understand why people like wrestling. He was the saving grace of SO many garbage TNA years. His WWE run was solid but felt a little underutilized. And then his AEW run has just been amazing all-around."

[10.0] "A masterclass in consistency and excellence. Joe remains one of the most complete wrestlers of his generation, a heel capable of elevating any scenario he's placed in; midcard, main event, or tag team action. Even at 46, he blends believability, ring psychology, and in-ring skill in a way that few peers can match. His AEW Championship run proves that his talent transcends age and physique, and his leadership of the Opps, alongside the newly heel-oriented Shibata and Hook, underscores his ability to make others shine while remaining the unquestioned centerpiece. Every move, interaction, and storyline choice feels purposeful because Joe is involved. Simply put, he's one of the best wrestlers alive today."

[10.0] "One of the absolute best wrestlers of his generation. A phenomenal heel who, even when relegated to the midcard, is so damn good that he inevitably finds his way back to the main event keeping him out of it is simply a waste. Outstanding as a champion, always a believable challenger, excellent in tag teams... honestly, wherever you put him, he feels almost perfect. In the ring? I love him. Sure, his physique is what it is and has always been that way but what exactly can't he do because of it? Absolutely nothing. At 46 years old, he completely outclasses so many wrestlers who are supposed to be today's top stars. I'm writing this while he's AEW Champion, which perfectly proves my point. He was put at the head of the Opps, a faction that wasn't even meant to be a top stable in the company yet, as always, Joe is so good at everything he does that he naturally becomes the best possible solution in any scenario. I'm not even sure they originally planned to give him the title, but they clearly realized that Joe still has so much to offer in the ring, and above all, the stable itself is genuinely awesome. We're finally seeing Shibata in a heel role, alongside Hook, and it just works. Let's see how it all develops, but one thing is certain: the leader of this stable is a guarantee one of the best wrestlers in the world, period."

[4.0] "I spent a long time thinking about what rating to give for Samoa Joe. I've come to the conclusion that he just doesn't do it for me. When he was young, he looked very raw. In fact, Necrobutcher gave him the best match of his career, and even a undeserved victory at that. As a wrestler, he doesn't really interest the average fan who just wants to see good content. And that's my honest experience. When he was in NXT, he only showed average matches. Although I should revisit his matches with Finn Balor, but I doubt that will change much. In WWE, maybe they should have given him a world title to see what he can really do. But from his promos, he's just an ordinary bad guy. His program with Lesnar was a total flop. In that intense 4-way match at SummerSlam 2017, he clearly didn't put in much effort to make it good or memorable. Basically, his wrestling style is just a mimicry of brawling. And it's not about age -- he's always been like that. Just basic moves (chops and punches). His submission move is just a neck hug from behind. As for submissions, it's really dull and unconvincing -- only Nigel McGuinness or Zack Sabre are worse. The only good thing about him is his finisher. By the way, his match with Roman Reigns at Backlash 2018 was just awful; people were leaving the arena. And I doubt that was only Roman's fault, as he was blamed for everything back then. His feud with AJ Styles in 2018 was some kind of garbage, like a talk show where dirty laundry is aired out. And the funniest part is that all promotions besides WWE's main roster seem to have some kind of obsession with him. I was pretty pissed when, as a commentator, he beat Karrion Kross and took the NXT Championship from him -- Kross was a good, strong champ at the time. Maybe that even hurt Kross's career in the long run; you can't exclude the possibility. And in AEW, he has the same kind of fanaticism now. He has the most unimpressive and forgettable runs with the world title in the company, but they keep feeding him those titles even in 2025. I get ROH, but even that looks strange. Basically, he's currently having bad matches. I think he's a highly overrated wrestler, though I believe they could have given him a WWE world title just to keep him busy -- it probably wouldn't have been worse."

[9.0] "No point tarting it up, he's a big, bad, bullying, mean mo fo who looks, and acts, like he could demolish the average pleb on the street in 7 seconds. Actually find his moveset a little repetitive, doesn't really matter when he's got one of the greatest short jabs and colossal Muscle Buster as a finisher. A deceptively good talker, too much so for WWE as they put him on commentary. He would have been formidable in any era, one of the best this century, and little reason why he can't carry on at his very high level."

[8.0] "Joe is a hard one to rank because he had so many periods where he wasn't used the best and gained a lot of weight. But when he was use right he was great. In Aew I think he slowed down alot but is still good."

[10.0] "The man that put ROH on the map and is still their best champion to this do. Amazing all arounder. Can do everything and had a badass arua to him. It's a shame WWE didn't use him so much better. Easily in my top 5 favorite wrestlers. Nothing bad to say about him."

[5.0] "If you wanted to get injured in 2005, Samoa Joe was the one for the job. His work was so realistic you could die, with hard, sloppy hits and excessive violence in independent companies with wrestlers looking to show off their skills. It was a perfect combination for some people to see something different in him. He wasn't good or safe; Joe was just different. The "Joe is gonna kill you" was true, but not in a good way. In recent years in WWE and AEW, I've liked it more; there was more safety and without so much violence in places where it doesn't deserve a place."

[10.0] "Samoa fucking Joe baby. One of the greatest to lace up a pair of boots and by all accounts a class act. A pillar of ROH & TNA and maybe the greatest powerhouse wrestler ever."

[10.0] "One of my all time favourite wrestlers. A fucking badass kicking ass every time he comes out to the ring. A shame that TNA and WWE were idiots and didn't use him properly but his early days of ROH and now in AEW he has shown why he's one of the greatest wrestlers ever"

[10.0] "Samoa Joe is one of the realest guys to ever step in a ring. Every time he wrestles, it feels like a legit fight. His intensity, his strikes, the way he talks--it all just hits different. No matter the company, Joe always stands out and makes everyone around him look better. Just an all-around badass."

[10.0] "When you watch Joe matches, you get vibe like "man, he isn't lying". This man is so brutal, his wrestling and his looking fits perfect."

[9.0] "Samoa Joe is one of the most intense and authentic performers in pro wrestling. His style is built on hard hitting strikes, brutal submissions, and a constant aura of danger. Joe can make any match feel like a fight, and few match his presence when the bell rings. He also pairs that in ring legitimacy with some of the best promo delivery in the business, able to cut scathing, believable promos that elevate any feud. Whether dominating in ROH, carrying TNA, or thriving in WWE and AEW, Joe has consistently been a top level performer across multiple eras and promotions."

"There's always a sense of importance when Samoa Joe makes his entrance. His work is simple but effective - just casually walking away from a dive or trapping the foe in a Coquina Clutch (Rear Naked Choke)"

[9.0] "Joe! Joe! Joe! Joe! What a guy. On a high after last nights Dynamite. Glad he is still doing the damn thing in 2025."

[10.0] "possibly the wrestler with the greatest catalog of opponents ever: aj styles, nakumura, kobashi, misawa, danielson, christopher daniels, punk, angle, zayn, balor, hero, KENTA, suzuki, strickland, adam cole, allin, keith lee, penta, okada to name a few. but his talent cant just be attributed to his booking. he is an everything package, with great mic work and an incredibly diverse wrestling to go with it. hard hitting, incredible speed for his size and techinical prowess. one of the only wrestlers where the word "aura" is actually valid to use."

[7.0] "Only based on WWE so don't get pissed. Was wasted so much, why (just like Nakamura) didn't he win a main roster world title. I like Joe so it's disappointing. Overall, good but I'd really like him back in WWE and a world title around his waist, just like Nakamura and Balor, I beg for a WWE World Title for him."

[9.0] "Samoa Joe has a believable aura about him that just screams 'legit tough guy.' He's also a savage on the mic, and has a wrestling style that can mesh with anyone's."

[9.0] "Without a doubt the second best wrestler of that indie generation (Danielson being the first.) Samoa Joe is just a star. Doesn't matter if it's in ROH, TNA, WWE or AEW, he's a star. I didn't watch too much of his ROH run, but I first really began to notice him during TNA. He was just an absolute badass, with fitting entrance music to along with it. His TNA run was going really well, until Kurt Angle came in. I think they saw him as the shiny new toy, and an incredible wrestler who had just been a top star in WWE, so they decided to put Joe away and play with Angle instead. After that, I don't think he really recovered. Whilst he was still a star and had fantastic matches, I don't think he was ever positioned as the absolute top guy ever again, which is a damn shame. Was really happy to see him go to WWE, but I feel like that entire run was just a huge waste of Samoa Joe and his talents. Obviously his NXT run was pretty good, but NXT back then was just indie wrestling under the WWE umbrella so it would take a monumental amount of effort to ruin his run there during that time. Really anticipated his main event roster run, but it just didn't really play out like I had imagined it would. He did do some memorable stuff, but Vince & co. just didn't really know how to bring the absolute best out of him. It's insane to me that he never won a world title there, he was just a star waiting to be given a world title run that never materialized. He had everything it takes to be a huge player in WWE, the only thing I felt that held him back was his age. But even then, he wasn't even remotely considered an old wrestler by any means. Especially when you had the likes of Goldberg getting world title runs there. Haven't kept up too much with his AEW stuff, but from what I've seen it's basically just Samoa Joe. Which is fantastic. I couldn't rate him as a 10 simply because I leave that for the absolute best of the best to ever do it. But for me, Samoa Joe is as close as you can possibly be to a 10. I'd rate him a 9.9 if I could. Sidenote: loved his matches against Kobashi & Misawa in NOAH. He complemented that style really well and I wish we had seen more of him over there during that time."

[8.0] "Joe's presence is something else. He always looks like he's about to off his opponent. And he sure wrestles like it. While his work in WWE's main roster was disappointing, TNA, NXT, and to some extent AEW and even ROH, is where he looked his best. Proving that was more of an exception to a rule of how great his skills are. His moveset is brutal and effective, fitting like a glove to his persona."

[8.0] ""Joe's gonna kill you! " Watching this dude's TNA run was something magical. His feud with Kurt Angle was immaculate, and his mic work is absolute savagery."

[10.0] "One of the coolest professional wrestlers of all time man and he has the match catalog, the accolades, and the acclaim to back it up, one of the best ever and if someone told me Joe was their GOAT, I wouldn't bat an eye, that's how great the guy is..."

[10.0] "He's just incredible, having good matches with a variety of people from cruiserweights to heavyweights. While not in his 2000s prime anymore he's still able to go in the ring and on the mic. A true all rounder and a good heel"

[10.0] "Has some of my favorite matches of all time, some all time classics in several different companies, some all time promos, and is just generally one of those guys who has an incredibly high floor in terms of what he can do. But boy can this guy GO in the ring, and he has been able to for 20+ years. There's really no weakness in this dudes entire presentation. I love Samoa Joe."

[9.0] "All round an incredible wrestler. Does everything to a high level and their isn't really anything he cannot do. A great promo, absolutely outstanding in-ring, hard to find any true criticisms of him. He has had some of the greatest matches in TNA history as well as some incredible matches in both WWE and now AEW. Always an incredible heel, however maybe could be a better face but if you're a booker you are never going to having Samoa Joe as a white hot baby face. He is a destroyer and is one of the best destroyers in recent wrestling history."

[10.0] "Probably one of the best wrestlers in contemporary culture, ever. Carries himself with swiftness that defies logic for a man his size, a diverse moveset, treacherous on mic, great theme music, & the general sense that when Joe arrives, whomever has the misfortune of being in his crosshairs is probably going to get fucked up. His "Nope! " walking out of the way move is a fantastic use of comedy that doesn't make him look ridiculous at all, his finishers always look crisp and devastating, & I can't really remember an even "relatively good" Samoa Joe match; they are all excellent."

[10.0] "The King of Television is one of the best wrestlers of the twentieth century. A true pillar of wrestling, legendary in TNA, but also won in ROH, NXT and AEW where he was world champion. He's a tough ass kicker, his rivalry with CM Punk is legendary and his rivalry with AJ Styles is very good. Good skills on the microphone and in the ring he is a pleasure to watch. The match with Kenta Kobashi is perfection and the one against Daniels and Styles is sublime. It often doesn't get the credit it deserves."

[10.0] "Joe is a guy that proved you didn't have to be a ripped bodybuilder to be an amazing superstar and athlete. Joe is so awesome in the ring and an awesome entertainment. His ROH and TNA run was some of my favorite wrestling to re-watch. His NXT and WWE stuff was good as well, but they never did put the world championship on it. His AEW career has been great, his world title reign is criminally underrated. Overall deserves to be recognized as one of the greatest of his generation."

[10.0] "HOW is this king not in the top fifty? joe's consistency and longevity are unbelievable, and he manages to excel even when his booking is against him (late in his TNA run). he's been a boon to every card he's been on for the past 20+ years"

[8.0] "Whilst as Joe has gotten older he has dropped off, from about 2003-2008, Joe was one of the best wrestlers going. Joe could strike, he could grapple and he could fly. Great talent in his prime."

[10.0] "From Ring of Honor to AEW he's consistently been one of the best wrestlers and promos. It's hard to believe it's been almost 25 years since he got started but he's still as great as he was in 2005."

[10.0] "Joe has been poorly booked for the majority of his career, but it doesnt affect how amazing this guy is. Great in the ring and on the mic. Him and Styles should have been the faces of TNA, but Hogan and Bischoff didnt allow that unfortunately."

[10.0] "You could watch a match of Joe's from 2004, 2008, 2015, or 2023 and you can see why he's one of the best ever. From his historic ROH run, his great work in TNA, his great menacing run in NXT, his underrated time on the main roster of WWE, and once again being the best wrestler on tv in AEW. While it may sound ridiculous knowing how loved and respected he is, I do believe he still is somehow underrated. One of the best in this sport of pro wrestling. (also he should've beaten Brock in 2017)"

[10.0] "One of the greatest to ever do it greatest ever ROH champion no dispute Joe is a monster like Brock Lesnar but better cause Joe is brown and isnt an alleged sex offender"

[10.0] "Behold the beast that is Samoa Joe, you name it he's been there and done that. I think he's not had a bad run in any promotion that he has been to so far (except maybe for his main roster run) and in his mid 40s he's still burning the candle at both ends and giving us bangers from left to right."

[10.0] "This guy is one of the all time greats! Samoa Joe first caught my attention in TNA wrestling around 2007. His rivalry with Kurt Angle was legendary, and I really loved the Main Event Mafia angle with Joe as well. For his WWE career I enjoyed his NXT work more than anything, but one particular main roster match I love is the GBOF match vs Brock Lesnar. He should have won the WWE title in my opinion. Recently he has held the ROH TV title and AEW championship. I cant wait to see how he does with the AEW championship."

[10.0] "One of the best in-ring performers in the world between 2002-2008. One of the main guys that built Independent Wrestling into a cult phenomenon. Rivalries with CM Punk, AJ Styles, & Christopher Daniels are legendary. Put on matches that will forever withstand the "Test of Time" against the likes of Kenta Kobashi, CM Punk, Bryan Danielson, AJ Styles, Christopher Daniels, Low-Ki, Necro Butcher, & Jay Briscoe. Had a memorable feud with Kurt Angle. One of the greatest ROH World Champions of all time. One of the first wrestlers to ever be called a "ROH Legend". First ever 3x NXT World Champion. Is an outstanding promo artist. Years of Injuries & bad booking in TNA greatly derailed his momentum. Never reached his full potential on WWE's Main Roster. Is not the level of in-ring performer that he was from 2002-2008. Coasting off of the aura of intimidation that he never lost to compensate for the battered shape that his body is in from all the years of injuries, which is why his quality of matches are not what they used to be. UPDATED: He has been looking good so far in AEW. I am liking what I am seeing. I hope that he can stay healthy and continue to deliver quality. UPDATED x2: Samoa Joe has become to AEW what he was supposed to be to both TNA & WWE. He has become the Final Boss of AEW and looks very close to his 2002-2008 form. As an OG fan of his, I am very happy."

[10.0] "The true common denominator in every promotion he goes, you look at the legendary run in ROH-TNA, NXT, Smackdown and now in AEW, the historic feuds he had with CM Punk, Kurt Angle, and AJ Styles, infamous promos such as the AA meeting or scaffolds and wires, the all-timer matches he had with Kobashi and Necro Butcher, compelling and charismatic, technical and brutal, this is the man"

"Not many other wrestlers have managed to maintain the sense of danger & charm Samoa Joe has. First ballot Observer Hall of Famer for sure."

[6.0] "Doesnt really know how to talk or bring a compelling story to the ring, at least not in the current year which Im basing my rating on. The last few months when he started dealing with MJF have been a slight improvement on what he did before though so I dont hate him. Curious to see where he will take his character now with the belt but I hope its a short transitional reign."

[10.0] "One of the best to ever do it. His run of matches in 2005 is some of the best work in the history of the business. From Strong Style wars with Kenta Kobashi to X-Division spotfests with AJ Styles and even to brutal brawls with Necro Butcher, Joe can do it all. He's still going strong at the age of 44, and I predict him to continue kicking ass for a long time."

[10.0] "Let's put it this way Joe is one of the greatest wrestlers I've ever fucking seen and I wish he was used better in WWE & TNA cause he is world championship material for whatever company he works for he is a draw heel or face."

[10.0] "Joe is a legend, amazing in every company he worked for, he's one of a kind. The guy is truly a rare specimen in US wrestling, really big and strong, with powerful and hard-hitting moves, but also extremely technical and incredibly athletic for his size too. His mere presence is intimidating and scary, he was born to be dominant, and does the job in a fantastic way. One of the best primes in wrestling history and an outstanding career."

[10.0] "Samoa Joe's a guy who when you walk down the street and you see him, anyone and their grandmother would thing "damn, he's cool". Even though I only started seeing him well after his top run in TNA, ROH and NXT, I still think he's great."

[10.0] "Every time this man touches a microphone the calm cadence and intelligence with which he talks he sounds like the hardest, baddest man alive. Like he could smoke an opponent just as easily as he smokes a cigar. He might not be as versatile in the ring anymore as he ages, and that's perfectly normal, but he can still turn in great matches and really get the crowd on board."

[9.0] "See, I loved Joe back when he was still capable of delivering those high quality matches. He is still great on the mic, has charisma written all over him but he is not that 10/10 performer that he once was. When his career is over, he will for sure be a 9 or 10 out of 10 but in his current state, I can't rate him more than that even if he still has everything that made him a top tier performer. Time just catches up with every performer sadly but he'll go down as a legend. EDIT: I like what he is doing with the ROH TV title and all of the stuff with MJF. Well deserved bump in his rating."

[10.0] "The only man intelligent enough to walk out of the way of an incoming aerial maneuver. In all seriousness this man is a monster. He's had an incredible work rate for decades, a ruthless and believably painful moveset, and an unmistakable aura that demands attention. Whenever the crowd cheers "Joe is gonna kill you", you believe it."

[10.0] "this dude is the fucking goat. a true student of the game. his ability to work against any opponent and somehow have good chemistry with all of them is nearly unmatched. Joe's run in the 2000s is insanely great, and his work since then has still been brilliant because he has always had fantastic psychology."

[10.0] "Samoa Joe has carried an aura nearing on 20 years now and although he can't go like he used to, you know you are still going to get a hell of a match when he is asked to deliver. Some of his best work was in TNA back in the day and is always worth going back to watch."