Samoa Joe

Samoa Joe, born Nuufolau Joel Seanoa, is an American professional wrestler currently reigning as the AEW World Champion. He boasts an impressive career spanning over two decades, leaving his mark on renowned promotions like TNA, WWE, and his current home, AEW.

Known for his imposing physique and aggressive fighting style, Joe has earned numerous accolades. He's a two-time AEW TNT Champion, a three-time NXT Champion in WWE, and holds the record for the longest reign as ROH World Television Champion. His victory over MJF in December 2023 cemented his legacy as the only wrestler to claim the top titles in AEW, ROH, and TNA.

Also Read: What finisher does Samoa Joe uses in AEW?

Samoa Joe Early Life

Samoa Joe's real name is Nuufolau Joel Seanoa. He was born on March 17, 1979 in Orange County, California, USA. He was brought up in his birth-town. Prior to his wrestling career, Joe participated in his family's Polynesian dance troupe. Notably, he even performed at the opening ceremony of the 1984 Summer Olympics.

His athletic abilities were evident in his youth, as he achieved the title of California State Junior Judo Champion. Seanoa continued his athletic pursuits in high school and college, playing football. Interestingly, before entering the world of professional wrestling, he pursued a career in the financial sector, working as a mortgage broker.

Samoa Joe Professional Wrestling Career

Early Career

A fact about Joe that many do not know about is that he started his pro wrestling career alongside John Cena at Ultimate Pro Wrestling, which was a WWE developmental promotion, where WWE’s Jim Ross and Bruce Prichard told him that he may not become a pro wrestler. Samoa Joe, though, brushed aside the criticism and travelled to Japan to compete in the Pro Wrestling Zero-One promotion, where he won the NWA Intercontinental Tag Team Championship.

After returning to the United States, Joe joined the fledgling Ring of Honor promotion in 2002, where he feuded with future WWE Superstars like Tyler Black (Seth Rollins), Bryan Danielson (Daniel Bryan), Chris Hero (Kassius Ohno), as well as a famous feud with CM Punk, where one of the matches received a 5-star rating from wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer.

Total Nonstop Action Wrestling

After wrestling in the indies for a few years, Samoa Joe got his break when he joined Total Nonstop Action Wrestling which had several big names. Joe had several great matches and feuds with AJ Styles, Christopher Daniels, Christian Cage, while also feuding with pro wrestling legends like Sting and Kurt Angle.

Joe won it all at TNA and was one of the top dogs in the promotion for nearly a decade. The list of achievements in TNA for Samoa Joe is endless - TNA Television Champion, TNA World Heavyweight Champion, TNA World Tag Team Champion, and TNA X Division Champion, to name a few. In 2015, Samoa Joe left TNA and briefly wrestled in ROH, before signing with WWE and NXT.

NXT

At NXT, Joe had a memorable feud with Finn Balor for the NXT Championship and then later with Shinsuke Nakamura, winning the NXT Championship twice, before his switch to the main roster.

Samoa Joe Main roster

Samoa Joe was called up to the main roster in January 2017, quickly being added to the Universal championship picture. He was involved in a brief feud between Brock Lesnar and Braun Strowman, but his push for the top title quietly died down. In the 2018 Superstar Shake-Up, Samoa Joe was moved to SmackDown Live where he rekindled his feud with AJ Styles for the WWE Championship, albeit unsuccessfully.

In March 2019, Joe won the WWE United States Championship and a month later, he retained it against Rey Mysterio at WrestleMania 35 within a minute. He, however, lost the title to Mysterio at Money in the Bank before the Luchador had to relinquish the title due to an injury. After Mysterio's injury, the title was given back to Joe. At Stomping Grounds, Joe lost the belt to Ricochet.

Samoa Joe had a brief run after losing the United States Championship. He challenged for the WWE Championship but was unsuccessful. He entered the King of the Ring tournament but got injured during the competition. While recovering, Joe transitioned to a color commentator role. After a brief return to the ring and a suspension, Joe became a full-time commentator until his release in April 2021.

Return to NXT (2021-22)

Rehired by WWE in June 2021, Joe became the enforcer for NXT's general manager. He quickly challenged the champion and secured a record-breaking third NXT title win in August. However, due to COVID-19 and a creative shift, he vacated the title in September. He remained with the company as a trainer until his final release in January 2022.

AEW & ROH (2022-Present)

In April 2022, Samoa Joe returned to Ring of Honor (now under AEW ownership) and immediately signed with the promotion. He debuted in AEW by defeating Max Caster and went on to win the ROH World Television Championship. Joe achieved significant success in his initial run, reaching the finals of the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament before being defeated by Adam Cole.

Samoa Joe had a dominant run in late 2022 and early 2023. He successfully defended his ROH World Television Championship against multiple challengers, including Jay Lethal. He then formed a short-lived tag team with Wardlow but their alliance dissolved due to conflicts. This led to a three-way match for the TNT Championship, which Joe won, becoming a double champion (holding both ROH and TNT titles). He then continued his winning streak with successful defenses against various opponents.

Despite a brief loss of the TNT Championship to Darby Allin in January 2023, Joe quickly regained it and held onto it until Wardlow defeated him in March. He continued his dominance in the ROH World Television Championship scene, defending it against numerous wrestlers. While Joe fell short in the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament and a title shot at CM Punk, he remained a strong contender. He even caused a stir by confronting the AEW World Champion MJF, leading to a later unsuccessful championship match against him. Notably, Joe secured a record-breaking reign as the longest-reigning ROH World Television Champion by November 2nd, 2023.

AEW Champion

By November 10, 2023, when Joe had became the longest-reigning ROH World Television Champion, he surprisingly relinquished the title. He did so to shift his focus on winning the AEW World Championship. At AEW Full Gear, AEW World Champion and ROH Tag Team Champion MJF had to defend the latter title with Adam Cole but Cole was injured. Joe stepped in to assist MJF in exchange for a world title match, which the champion accepted.

This match was booked for AEW World's End, where Joe defeated MJF clean. He defended the title for the first time against Hook in January. Then at AEW Revolution 2024, he defeated Hangman Page and Swerve Strickland in a Three Way match to retain the gold.

Samoa Joe Wife

Samoa Joe is married to his long-time girlfriend Jessica Seanoa. Joe married Jessica in 2007. Not much is known of Jessica. Click here to know more about Samoa Joe's wife.

Samoa Joe Net Worth 2024

As per various sources, Samoa Joe is worth around $8 Million as of 2024. Reportedly, he draws an annual salary of around $800,000 from All Elite Wrestling. Click here to learn about the net worth of The Samoan Submission Machine in detail.

Samoa Joe Parents

Samoa Joe Father

Samoa Joe's father was Pete Seanoa. He was a passionate cultural ambassador. Dedicated to sharing his heritage, he performed as a Polynesian dancer at Disneyland for an impressive 28 years. Beyond his performance career, Pete, along with his wife Portia, took a big step in 1965. They co-founded Tiare Productions, a renowned Polynesian dance company, leaving a lasting mark on cultural preservation.

Samoa Joe Mother

While supporting her family as a dedicated nurse, Portia Seanoa, Samoa Joe's mother, also played a vital role in cultural preservation. Alongside her husband Pete, they significantly contributed to promoting Polynesian culture through their renowned dance ensemble.

Read more about Samoa Joe's parents here

Championships And Accomplishments