Source: Alternative Wrestling Magazine & RJTR Publishing
The folks over at the Alternative Wrestling Magazine recently interviewed Samoa Joe. During the interview, Joe talks about the scariest moment of his career, teaming with Brutus Magnus, rising to the top of the card, and iMPACT Wrestling in video games – among other topics. You can read the full interview below or read it straight at the source by clicking here. Enjoy!
You have been with the company for 7 years and had your up and downs. What keeps you motivated through those times?
The thing that keeps me motivated regardless of what I go through. Is being able to maintain the ability to go out there and do it infront of as many fan’s as possible. Also it is giving me the opportunity to do what I love which is professional wrestling.
You have worked closely with Magnus tag-teaming and touring internationally. How do you think he has evolved working with yourself?
I think when it comes to Magnus he is a guy who has not reached his potential, he has definitely just realized what he could be, and he is becoming a very good professional wrestler. In the next few years people will be speaking about his work. It has been a very interesting evolution to say the least.
You have seem to have a recent resurgence in the last couple of months. What do you think you can do to stay at the top of the card?
If there was anything that had been done differently, I made a little bit more noise then I had done previously, and the other thing is when ever I am presented with the opportunity to do something I always go out there and do the best that I can do. Those would be my major contributing factors to me turning it around.
Do you know whether TNA will be back in the video market again soon?
Not that I know of. Do I hope that they will? Yes. There is always a constant push on our end [TNA] to partner up with a developer to make a TNA video game. I think we were close to something with the first game. I think anything we do after that will be far better and i think the fans will enjoy it.
Wanted to get your opinions on King Mo and do you think their will be a blowback when you blur the lines of sports and entertainment?
Yes – but would be hard to find that you will not get blowback on anything that involves non-pro wrestling personalities coming in to the world of professional wrestling and that is fine. King Mo to me seems like he is dedicated to hone the craft and learn what he needs to do. After bumping into him briefly I am more then willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.
You have competed in the UK quite a few times and you always seem to receive some of the best crowd reactions of the night. Why do you think the UK fans hold you in such high regard?
I wish I knew. That is one of the intangible questions that I will never quite know. I just know that some of the great fan moments of me being in the ring were created while I was in the ring in England, including the invention of the Ole kick. I think me and the British fans click and UK fans in general like to see a good ass kicking. They have a nice healthy appetite for watching some violence so it all works out.
Do you think TNA are in a situation where they can expand internationally like they did with Ring Ka King in the UK or elsewhere? and Would you be interested in being involved?
Do I think TNA are in the position to do that? Absolutely. Do I see it in the near future? Potentially. I think that idea has always been there and I know they did very will with Ring Ka King in India. I think the UK are hungry for a homegrown promotion and I would love to see that happen but again that is just me. Of course any opportunity to take pro wrestling anywhere especially internationally, I jump at the opportunity. So yeah.
AWM: My two favorite moments of your career was wrestling CM Punk in ROH and Kurt Angle in TNA. What is your most memorable feud?
I think anything that me and Kurt have been involved with has kind just worked. Kurt is a very alpha type personality and he can’t stand any other top dogs being around so it works well. Of course wrestling Punk he is a hell of an athlete and we managed to bring out the masochistic best out of each other. Too nail down the one is ridiculous because I have had an opportunity to have battle with some great guys. AJ is another one, can put right up there anytime we get in the ring across from each other great stuff happens.
AWM: Do you think the X-Division will ever reach the heights set by your feud with Christopher Daniels and AJ Styles?
As of right now, no. As it is retooling but I think that the new arsenal of X-Division wrestlers that are being implemented are exceptional and I really look forward to see what they will put together and I think some of those guys will break out and show the world they are next level x-division wrestlers. That is just my thought just them stepping up and showing the world.
You have had some amazing matches throughout your career. What was the scariest moment?
Coming off the skyblocks in the Chicago centre. Just not really thinking about what I was doing and nearly castrating myself.
Were Ace’s and 8?s the people that kidnapped you back in 2010?
Kidnapping? Everyone keeps talking about this kidnapping. Is this some kind of meme. Is this some kind of internet thing. I can’t answer your question buddy because I don’t even remember that going down.
I was just wondering how rumors of contract negotiations, people leaving, and internet rumors whether that gets talked about in the lockeroom?
Yeah, it is also the nature of the business. I don’t think anyone is shocked or personally affected by it. It is just wrestling. That’s how this business works and everyone struggles to make things work as in with their deals with companies.
You have achieved so much in your career winning world titles, wrestling the best wrestlers around, and just wondered what you future plans were and how long do you hope to continue wrestling for? What else is left to achieve?
I hate to sound like the proverbial pro wrestling cliche. As far as my career will go till the wheels fall off. As long as I can do it and still do it effectively then I will be more then happy to continue wrestling. For my future wrestling plans is all about the World Heavyweight Championship and I think that is a little overdue and should have multiple by now.
Are you a person who strives at being “The Man.” where ever you are working and is it a pressure you enjoy?
Yes, myself I enjoy that and as well as every wrestler in the history and every wrestler that is on planet earth. If you are the man then you are the man and the man does what he wants. I hope to continue in the near future.
