Former WWE Superstar Samoa Joe is one of the most recognizable veterans still active in the pro wrestling business. The former two-time NXT Champion currently wrestles for the AEW. It seems, however, that the curtain will soon fall on his career.
Samoa Joe was invited to the October 15, 2025, episode of the SHAK Wrestling podcast. During the interview, the 46-year-old said that he will most likely hang up his boots after his current contract with the AEW expires.
I’d say most likely (he’ll retire at the end of his contract), and honestly I think it’s for a lot of reasons and I think most of them are responsible… Obviously you never want to outstay your welcome in this industry and I have been fortunate that I have been able to be involved with it for over 25 years now…
The other thing too is many of us want to preserve what we can of our health for our latter years, so it is something that is probably the most likely scenario. But hey, it is an unusual world, and unusual opportunities come up. [H/T WrestleTalk]
Thus, Samoa Joe feels that he is at the tail-end of his career and should go out gracefully before he becomes a relic in the industry. However, he did say that he still isn’t certain if he wants to retire and hang up his boots for good.
Right now, Joe is heading to the 2025 AEW WrestleDream pay-per-view, where he will challenge Hangman Adam Page for the AEW World Championship on October 18.
Why Did Samoa Joe Leave WWE?
Samoa Joe is a former two-time United States Champion and a former two-time NXT Champion. He was released from WWE in January 2022. The veteran was cut from the roster of NXT alongside other big names, like William Regal, Brian ‘Road Dogg’ James, Timothy Thatcher, and more.
According to a Fightful Select report, Joe left WWE on the same day William Regal was cut from the roster. The report stated that it wasn’t likely that he would’ve returned for in-ring competition anytime soon, and Regal’s departure would mean his departure as well.
At the time, a high-ranking WWE official had revealed that despite facing rough tides in WWE for over two years, Samoa Joe dealt with his release as professionally as possible. Notably, this was the second time the Stamford-based promotion had released the wrestler within a year.
Joe was previously released in April 2021, since he couldn’t be cleared to wrestle owing to several injuries. However, he was later brought back to the NXT brand in June 2021, where his new gimmick was playing the on-screen official of William Regal.
Samoa Joe on Getting Honored by AJ Styles at Crown Jewel
The 2025 Crown Jewel premium live event saw John Cena defeat AJ Styles in an absolute classic. Both wrestlers paid tribute to their notable rivals. While Cena honored his WWE opponents, AJ, who was fighting in his TNA gear, gave a nod to his TNA rivals, including Joe, by using his submission hold, the Coquina Clutch.
Joe recently appeared for an interview with Forbes to promote AEW WrestleDream. He was asked about the tribute paid to him by The Phenomenal One. In response, the 46-year-old wrestler said:
So, yeah, I’m obviously more than honored and flattered. It’s good to know that your peers appreciate that sense, especially when it talks about the breadth of their career and what it means to them. I’m beyond honored—it’s an awesome thing to see. I have unyielding amounts of respect for both men involved in that match, and I’m so happy that [Styles and John Cena] are getting their flowers.
Samoa Joe highlighted that his ties with AJ Styles run very deep. He also stated that while he loved the tribute, it was rather bland compared to their conversations and trash talk they do as friends. It should be noted that Styles will also soon hang up his boots.
I guess AJ Styles was also paying tribute to his old TNA opponents in that match 🥹❤️
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Are you a Samoa Joe fan? What are your thoughts on so many veterans approaching retirement simultaneously? Pour your thoughts down in the comments.
