Samoa Joe has been through his share of ups and downs, but there was one stretch where he genuinely believed his wrestling career had come to an end. Looking back on that period, the former AEW World Champion recalled dealing with a serious concussion, multiple firings, and wondering what came next before everything unexpectedly turned around.
Speaking at Grace Family Church, Joe explained that the concussion forced him away from the ring and onto WWE’s commentary team. While he enjoyed the role, he admitted that, at the time, he thought his in-ring days were essentially over.
“Several times, actually, within the span of two months. You know, I had received a concussion. My career was essentially over, and I was sent to the commentary desk, which was awesome. Good time.”
Things only became more chaotic from there. Joe revealed that he was released by WWE during that period before being unexpectedly brought back in a corporate role. That second chance didn’t last very long, however, as another restructuring led to him losing his job again just a couple of months later.
“I was hired back, miraculously, thankfully, and I moved into a more corporate position. But then the corporate structure changed, and two months later I found myself fired again. It was a rough morning, obviously.”
Joe said the second firing was especially difficult, but his wife remained calm throughout the situation. When he told her he’d lost his job again, she reassured him that everything would work out.
“I remember walking in… looking at my wife and saying, ‘I got fired.’ I remember her looking up at me and going, ‘Ah, it’s all right. God’s got this. We’re going to be fine. We prayed on this already. It’s going to work out.’”
He admitted it took him years to develop that same level of faith, but eventually he realized she had been right all along.
“For the first time recently, I remember I looked back at her and with the utmost confidence, I knew she was absolutely right.”
That confidence paid off almost immediately. Just four hours after being fired, Joe received an unexpected phone call from someone he hadn’t spoken to in roughly 15 years, asking him to audition for what would become Peacock’s Twisted Metal.
“Fast forward to four hours later, I receive a phone call from a friend I hadn’t spoken to in upwards of 15 years… ‘I’m doing a brand-new TV show for Peacock. I’d love you to come in and star in it.’”
Joe landed the role, and when he walked back into the room to tell his wife the news, she simply reminded him she’d already told him everything would be okay.
“Lo and behold, I started Twisted Metal, walked back into the room, looked at my wife, and said, ‘Well, I’m now starring in a TV series, so I think everything’s okay.’ She said, ‘Told you it would all work out.’”
Joe’s story is a reminder of just how quickly things can change in professional wrestling. In the span of a few months, he went from believing his career was over and being fired multiple times to landing a starring television role before eventually returning to the ring and continuing one of the most successful careers in the business.
What do you think was the biggest comeback moment of Samoa Joe’s career? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
This transcript was produced exclusively for Ringside News from the original recording. Republishing the transcription in full is prohibited. When using excerpts, provide prominent credit and a link to this article.
