Career Timeline of Samoa Joe: Major Achievements and Milestones
How Samoa Joe built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.
Nuufolau Joel Seanoa, famously known as Samoa Joe, is a prominent American professional wrestler currently signed with All Elite Wrestling (AEW). As the leader of the Opps, he's a two-time AEW World Champion and one-time AEW World Trios Champion. His wrestling career is marked by successful stints in various promotions, including Ring of Honor (ROH), Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), and WWE, solidifying his reputation as a respected and accomplished figure in professional wrestling.
December 1999: Wrestling Debut
In December 1999, Samoa Joe debuted in a match against "Uncle" Jess Hansen, adopting the ring name "Samoa Joe".
1999: Samoa Joe Debuts
In 1999, Samoa Joe debuted as a professional wrestler.
March 2001: Wins UPW Heavyweight Championship
In March 2001, Joe defeated Christopher Daniels to win the UPW Heavyweight Championship.
April 2001: Wins UPW No Holds Barred Championship
In April 2001, Samoa Joe held the UPW No Holds Barred Championship.
June 2001: First Appearance in Japan
In June 2001, Samoa Joe made his first appearance in Japan during Pro Wrestling Zero-One's "Shingeki" pay-per-view, teaming with Keiji Sakoda to win the Intercontinental Tag Team Championship.
October 2001: Competes in All Pro Wrestling's King of Indies Tournament
In October 2001, Samoa Joe competed in All Pro Wrestling's "King of Indies" tournament.
November 2001: Loses UPW Heavyweight Championship
In November 2001, Joe lost the UPW Heavyweight Championship to Mikey Henderson after holding it for a record 258 days.
January 2002: Loses Intercontinental Tag Team Championship
In January 2002, Samoa Joe and Tom Howard were defeated by Masato Tanaka and Shinjiro Otani for the vacant Intercontinental Tag Team Championship in Pro Wrestling Zero-One.
October 2002: Joins Ring of Honor
In October 2002, Samoa Joe joined Ring of Honor (ROH), debuting at "Glory By Honor" as Christopher Daniels's "hired assassin".
March 2003: Wins ROH Championship
In March 2003, Joe won the ROH World Championship and held it for a record 21 months.
May 2003: ROH Title Renamed
In May 2003, after Samoa Joe defeated The Zebra Kid in London, England, the ROH title was renamed the ROH World Championship.
August 2003: Final Appearances with Pro Wrestling Zero-One
In August 2003, Joe made his final appearances with Pro Wrestling Zero-One as part of its "Summer Festival 2003" tour.
April 2004: Inoki Dojo Appearance
In April 2004, Samoa Joe appeared with Inoki Dojo, teaming with Bobby Quance in a loss.
June 2004: Defends ROH World Championship
In June 2004, Samoa Joe successfully defended the ROH World Championship against Shinya Makabe in a bout promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling.
July 2004: Defends ROH World Championship in Inoki Dojo
In July 2004, Samoa Joe successfully defended the ROH World Championship against Shinya Makabe in Inoki Dojo.
December 2004: Loses ROH World Championship
In December 2004, Samoa Joe lost the ROH World Championship after holding it for a record 21 months.
December 2004: Final Appearance with Inoki Dojo
In December 2004, Samoa Joe made his final appearance with Inoki Dojo, teaming with Chad Malenko in a loss.
May 2005: Becomes ROH Pure Champion
In May 2005, Samoa Joe became the ROH Pure Champion by defeating Jay Lethal.
June 2005: Joins TNA
In June 2005, Samoa Joe joined Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA).
August 2005: Loses ROH Pure Championship
In August 2005, Samoa Joe lost the ROH Pure Championship to Nigel McGuinness at "Dragon Gate Invasion".
August 2005: Wins TNA Super X Cup
In August 2005, Samoa Joe won the 2005 TNA Super X Cup Tournament, defeating A.J. Styles in the finals after interference from Christopher Daniels.
September 2005: Three-Way Match for X Division Championship
In September 2005, Samoa Joe participated in a three-way match for the TNA X Division Championship, won by A.J. Styles, with Joe's undefeated streak remaining intact.
October 2005: Defeats Jushin Liger at Bound for Glory
In October 2005, Samoa Joe defeated New Japan Pro-Wrestling's Jushin Liger at TNA's Bound for Glory.
December 2005: Defeated Styles to win the X Division Championship
In December 2005, Samoa Joe defeated Styles at Turning Point to become the X Division Champion.
January 2006: Defended the X Division Championship against Daniels
In January 2006, Samoa Joe defended his X Division Championship against Christopher Daniels at Final Resolution, winning via technical knockout.
February 2006: Retained the title against Daniels and Styles
In February 2006, at Against All Odds, Samoa Joe successfully defended the X Division Championship against Christopher Daniels and AJ Styles in a rematch from Unbreakable.
March 2006: AAA Debut
In March 2006, Samoa Joe debuted in the Mexican Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide promotion as a member of La Legión Extranjera stable. At Rey de Reyes in Ciudad Madero, Joe teamed with Konnan and Ron Killings to take part in a four-way twelve-man tag team match pitting various factions against one another.
March 2006: Lost the title to Daniels in an Ultimate X match
In March 2006, at Destination X, Samoa Joe lost the X Division Championship to Christopher Daniels in an Ultimate X match.
April 13, 2006: Won the X Division Championship for a second time
On April 13, 2006, Samoa Joe defeated Christopher Daniels on Impact to regain the X Division Championship.
June 2006: X Division Championship reign ended
In June 2006, Samoa Joe defeated Scott Steiner at Slammiversary. On June 19, Joe lost the X Division Championship in a triple threat match against Senshi and Sonjay Dutt after Steiner's interference, ending his second reign.
July 2006: Participates in Cage of Death Match
In July 2006, Samoa Joe participated in a five-on-five "Cage of Death" match at "Death before Dishonor IV" as part of an interpromotional feud between Ring of Honor and Combat Zone Wrestling (CZW).
September 2006: Verano de Escándalo Matches
In September 2006 at Verano de Escándalo in Naucalpan, Samoa Joe teamed with AJ Styles, Homicide, and Low Ki to defeat Abismo Negro, Charly Manson, Electroshock, and Histeria in an eight-man tag team match. Joe also teamed with Styles and Low Ki to defeat the Mexican Powers in a six-man tag team match.
September 2006: Defeated Jeff Jarrett in a lumberjack match
In September 2006, at No Surrender, Samoa Joe defeated Jeff Jarrett in a non-title "fan's revenge lumberjack match" and took Jarrett's title belt after the match.
September 16, 2006: Argument and Brawl with Takeshi Morishima
On September 16, 2006, at an ROH show, Samoa Joe got into an argument and pull-apart brawl with Pro Wrestling Noah star Takeshi Morishima.
November 2006: Lost to Kurt Angle, ending undefeated streak
In November 2006, at Genesis, Samoa Joe lost to Kurt Angle after submitting to Angle's ankle lock, ending his 18-month undefeated streak.
December 2006: Cage Match Against Bryan Danielson
In December 2006, Samoa Joe faced Bryan Danielson in a cage match for the ROH World Championship.
December 2006: Defeated Kurt Angle by submission
In December 2006, at Turning Point, Samoa Joe defeated Kurt Angle by submission.
2006: Appearance on Distraction
In 2006, Samoa Joe made brief appearances on the American version of the television show Distraction, participating in a round where wrestlers performed moves on contestants while they answered questions.
January 2007: Lost to Angle in an Iron Man match
In January 2007, at Final Resolution, Samoa Joe lost to Kurt Angle in a 30-minute Iron Man match.
February 2007: Won a Gauntlet for the Gold match
In February 2007, Samoa Joe won a Gauntlet for the Gold match to become the number one contender for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship.
February 2007: Wins Match Against Morishima
In February 2007, Samoa Joe won a match against Takeshi Morishima.
August 2007: Lost titles to Kurt Angle
In August 2007, at Hard Justice, Samoa Joe lost the X Division Championship and TNA World Tag Team Championship to Kurt Angle due to interference by Karen Angle.
September 2007: Lost to Christian Cage
In September 2007, at No Surrender, Samoa Joe lost to Christian Cage.
October 25, 2007: Pro Wrestling Noah Debut
On October 25, 2007, Samoa Joe debuted for the Japanese promotion Pro Wrestling Noah, teaming with Yoshihiro Takayama to defeat Mitsuharu Misawa and Takeshi Morishima in Yokohama.
November 2007: Defeated Robert Roode and won the TNA Turkey Bowl
In November 2007, Samoa Joe defeated Robert Roode at Genesis. That same month, Joe also won the inaugural TNA Turkey Bowl.
December 2007: Teamed with Nash and Young
In December 2007, at Turning Point, Samoa Joe teamed with Kevin Nash and Eric Young to defeat the Angle Alliance after Hall no-showed the event. Joe's pre-match promo angered Nash and TNA president Dixie Carter.
January 2008: Teamed with Nash against Styles and Tomko
In January 2008, after complaining about not having a match at Final Resolution, Samoa Joe teamed with Kevin Nash against TNA World Tag Team Champions AJ Styles and Tomko, losing after Nash refused to tag in.
February 2008: Served as special enforcer and formed a stable
In February 2008, at Against All Odds, Samoa Joe served as the special enforcer for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship match. On the February 14 episode of Impact, Joe formed a stable with Cage and Nash to compete with Angle's Angle Alliance.
April 2008: Won TNA World Championship
In April 2008, at Lockdown, Samoa Joe defeated Kurt Angle in a title versus career match to win his first and only TNA World Championship, becoming the third TNA Triple Crown Champion.
May 2008: Successfully defended the TNA World Championship
In May 2008, at Sacrifice, Samoa Joe successfully defended his TNA World Championship against Kaz and Scott Steiner in a three way match.
July 2008: Defended his title against Booker T
In July 2008, at Victory Road, Samoa Joe defended his TNA World title against Booker T in a singles match, which ended in a no contest after interference from Sting and Sharmell.
August 2008: Retained his title against Booker T in a steel cage weapons match
In August 2008, at Hard Justice, Samoa Joe defeated Booker T in a steel cage weapons match to retain his title as TNA World Champion.
September 2008: Defeated Cage and Angle to retain his title
In September 2008, at No Surrender, Samoa Joe defeated Christian Cage and Kurt Angle in a three way match to retain his TNA World Championship.
October 2008: Lost to Sting and TNA World Heavyweight Champion
In October 2008, at Bound for Glory IV, Samoa Joe lost to Sting, ending his reign as TNA World Heavyweight Champion at 182 days. He also suffered an injury during the match.
October 30, 2008: Formed the "Front Line" faction
On October 30, 2008, on Impact, Samoa Joe and AJ Styles formed a faction of younger wrestlers called the "Front Line", to oppose the Main Event Mafia.
November 2008: Lost to Nash
In November 2008, at Turning Point, Samoa Joe lost to Kevin Nash by cheating.
November 22, 2008: One Night Return to ROH
On November 22, 2008, Samoa Joe made a one night return to ROH at Rising Above, defeating Tyler Black in a dark match.
December 2008: Lost eight man tag team match and defeated Sting and Nash
In December 2008, at Final Resolution, the Front Line lost to the Main Event Mafia in an eight man tag team match. On December 18 on Impact, Joe and Styles defeated Sting and Nash, but Joe was subsequently attacked and sidelined.
2008: Headlines Bound for Glory
In 2008, Samoa Joe headlined TNA's flagship annual event, Bound for Glory.
January 29, 2009: Announced the Nation of Violence
On January 29, 2009, a video aired on Impact showing Samoa Joe with a new look, announcing his intention to introduce the Main Event Mafia to his "Nation of Violence".
March 2009: Lost to Steiner by disqualification
In March 2009, at Destination X, Samoa Joe lost to Scott Steiner by disqualification after throwing the referee out of the ring.
April 2009: Teamed to defeat the Main Event Mafia
In April 2009, at Lockdown, Samoa Joe teamed with Styles, Daniels, and Jarrett to defeat the Main Event Mafia in a Lethal Lockdown match.
May 2009: Defeated Kevin Nash
In May 2009, at Sacrifice, Samoa Joe defeated Main Event Mafia member Kevin Nash.
June 2009: Enabled Angle to win
In June 2009, at Slammiversary Seven, Samoa Joe competed in a King of the Mountain match for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship and handed the title belt to Kurt Angle, enabling him to win.
July 2009: Joined the Main Event Mafia and defeated Sting
In July 2009, on the June 25 episode of Impact, Samoa Joe officially joined the Main Event Mafia. At Victory Road, Joe defeated Sting by submission with the assistance of Taz.
August 2009: Won the X Division Championship for the fourth time
In August 2009, at Hard Justice, Samoa Joe defeated Homicide to win the X Division Championship for the fourth time.
November 2009: Unsuccessfully challenged for TNA World Heavyweight Champion
In November 2009 at Turning Point, Samoa Joe unsuccessfully challenged TNA World Heavyweight Champion AJ Styles in a three-way match that also involved Christopher Daniels.
December 2009: Won "Feast or Fired" briefcase
In December 2009, at Final Resolution, Samoa Joe took part in the "Feast or Fired" match, winning the briefcase containing a title shot at the TNA World Heavyweight Championship.
2009: Standing as a Main Event Star in the Company Entered a Downward Spiral
Starting in 2009, Kyle Johnson writing for the Wrestling Observer Newsletter noted that Samoa Joe's standing as a main event star in TNA declined significantly, never recovering from an injury sustained at Bound for Glory in October 2008.
January 2010: Took part in TNA's "Maximum Impact" tour of the UK.
In January 2010, Samoa Joe took part in TNA's "Maximum Impact" tour of the UK.
April 19, 2010: Returned as surprise partner of "Team Hogan"
On April 19, 2010, Samoa Joe returned on Impact as the surprise partner of "Team Hogan" in an eight-man tag team match against "Team Flair".
May 2010: Ranked in TNA Championship Committee rankings
In May 2010, Samoa Joe was ranked number 10 in the inaugural TNA Championship Committee rankings to determine the number one contender for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship.
September 2010: Tag Team Victory at No Surrender
In September 2010, Samoa Joe and Jeff Jarrett teamed up to defeat Kevin Nash and Sting in a tag team match at No Surrender.
October 2010: Handicap Match Loss at Bound for Glory
In October 2010 at Bound for Glory, Samoa Joe and Jeff Jarrett faced Kevin Nash, Sting, and D'Angelo Dinero in a handicap match. Hogan, originally slated to team with Joe and Jarrett, withdrew due to a ruse injury, leading to Joe's loss after being abandoned by Jarrett and the formation of the Immortal stable.
November 2010: Loss to Jarrett at Turning Point
In November 2010, at Turning Point, Jeff Jarrett defeated Samoa Joe by choking him out with a baton after interference from Immortal.
January 6, 2011: Impact Return and Confrontation
On January 6, 2011, Samoa Joe returned on Impact, confronting D'Angelo Dinero and initiating a storyline where Okato was hired to film Dinero's activities to prove he was a "scumbag".
February 2011: Victory over Dinero at Against All Odds
In February 2011, at Against All Odds, Samoa Joe, aided by Okato, defeated D'Angelo Dinero.
March 2011: Submission Victory at Lockdown
In March 2011, at Lockdown, Samoa Joe defeated D'Angelo Dinero by submission in a steel cage match.
April 2011: Feud with Crimson Begins
In April 2011, Samoa Joe began a feud with the undefeated Crimson.
June 2011: Loss to Crimson at Slammiversary IX
In June 2011, at Slammiversary IX, Samoa Joe lost to Crimson, after which he shook Crimson's hand.
July 2011: AAA Return and Tag Team Matches
In July 2011, Samoa Joe returned to Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide as a member of La Sociedad. On July 16 in Orizaba, he teamed with L.A. Park and Scott Steiner to defeat Dr. Wagner Jr., Electroshock, and El Zorro. On July 31 in Guadalajara, he teamed with Silver King and Último Gladiador in a loss to Drago, Electroshock and Heavy Metal.
September 2011: Loss to Matt Morgan at No Surrender
In September 2011, Samoa Joe lost to Matt Morgan at No Surrender, following his attempts to disrupt the Bound for Glory Series and interference from Morgan.
November 2011: Maximum Impact Tournament Win
In November 2011, Samoa Joe won the Maximum Impact Tournament, earning a title shot against Bobby Roode.
December 2011: Teaming with Magnus
In December 2011, Samoa Joe began teaming with Magnus, a pairing Vince Russo created because of their shared frustrations.
January 2012: Unsuccessful Tag Team Championship Challenge at Genesis
In January 2012, at Genesis, Samoa Joe and Magnus unsuccessfully challenged Crimson and Matt Morgan for the TNA World Tag Team Championship.
May 2012: Loss of TNA World Tag Team Championship
In May 2012, Samoa Joe and Magnus lost the TNA World Tag Team Championship to Christopher Daniels and Kazarian at Sacrifice.
May 31, 2012: Confrontation with Austin Aries
On May 31, 2012, Samoa Joe had a confrontation with X Division Champion Austin Aries on Impact Wrestling, leading to a match at Slammiversary 10.
July 22, 2012: GHC Tag Team Championship Win
On July 22, 2012, Samoa Joe returned to Pro Wrestling Noah, teaming with Magnus to defeat Special Assault Team (Akitoshi Saito and Jun Akiyama) and win the GHC Tag Team Championship in Tokyo.
September 2012: Bound for Glory Series Elimination
In September 2012, Samoa Joe was eliminated from the 2012 Bound for Glory Series after losing to Jeff Hardy at No Surrender.
September 27, 2012: TNA Television Championship Win
On September 27, 2012, Samoa Joe defeated Mr. Anderson on Impact Wrestling to win the vacant TNA Television Championship, becoming the third TNA Grand Slam Champion.
November 2012: Television Championship Defense
In November 2012, at Turning Point, Samoa Joe successfully defended the TNA Television Championship against Magnus in a no disqualification match.
December 6, 2012: Loss of TNA Television Championship
On December 6, 2012, Samoa Joe lost the TNA Television Championship to Devon on Impact Wrestling after DOC of Aces & Eights hit him with a ball-peen hammer.
December 2012: Eight-Man Tag Team Victory at Final Resolution
In December 2012, at Final Resolution, Samoa Joe teamed with Garett Bischoff, Kurt Angle, and Wes Brisco to defeat Devon, DOC, and two masked members of Aces & Eights in an eight-man tag team match.
January 2013: Singles Match Loss at Genesis
In January 2013, at Genesis, Samoa Joe lost to Aces & Eights member Mr. Anderson in a singles match following interference from Mike Knox.
March 2013: Lethal Lockdown Victory
In March 2013, at Lockdown, "Team TNA", including Samoa Joe, defeated Aces & Eights in a Lethal Lockdown match.
June 2013: Six-Man Tag Team Victory at Slammiversary XI
In June 2013, at Slammiversary XI, Samoa Joe teamed with Jeff Hardy and Magnus to defeat Garett Bischoff, Mr. Anderson, and Wes Brisco of Aces & Eights in a six-man tag team match.
October 2013: Ultimate X Match at Bound For Glory
In October 2013 at Bound For Glory, Samoa Joe competed in an Ultimate X match that was ultimately won by Chris Sabin.
November 7, 2013: Main Event Mafia Disbanded
On November 7, 2013, the Main Event Mafia, of which Samoa Joe was a member, was disbanded by Sting due to Aces & Eights having been defeated.
November 2013: Tournament Entry and Elimination
In November 2013, Samoa Joe entered a tournament for the vacant TNA World Heavyweight Championship, but was eliminated by Magnus in a falls count anywhere match at Turning Point.
December 2013: TNA World Heavyweight Championship Challenge at #OldSchool
Recorded in December 2013, and aired in February 2014, Samoa Joe unsuccessfully challenged Magnus for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship at One Night Only:#OldSchool, following interference from Ethan Carter III.
January 2014: Feud with Team Dixie
In January 2014, Samoa Joe defeated Rockstar Spud by submission and attempted to help Sting defeat Magnus for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship, furthering his feud with "Team Dixie".
March 2014: Cage Match Challenge
In March 2014, Samoa Joe unsuccessfully challenged Magnus in a cage match for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship at Lockdown, following interference from Abyss.
April 2014: Launched Twitch channel
In April 2014, Samoa Joe launched a video game streaming channel on Twitch.
June 2014: TNA X Division Championship Win
In June 2014, Samoa Joe defeated Low Ki and Sanada in the finals of a tournament to win the TNA X Division Championship for a fifth and final time.
August 2014: X Division Championship Defense
In August 2014, Samoa Joe successfully defended the X Division Championship against Low Ki at Hardcore Justice.
October 2014: Title Defense at Bound for Glory
In October 2014, at Bound for Glory in Tokyo, Japan, Samoa Joe defended the title against Kaz Hayashi and Low Ki despite the angle in which he vacated the title had not yet aired.
November 2014: Broadcast Delay of Vacated Title
In November 2014, the angle in which Samoa Joe vacated the title finally aired on television, due to a broadcast delay.
January 7, 2015: Formation of the Beat Down Clan
On January 7, 2015, Samoa Joe, along with MVP, Kenny King, Low Ki, and Eric Young, helped Bobby Lashley win the TNA World Heavyweight Championship and formed the Beat Down Clan.
January 31, 2015: Final Match for TNA
On January 31, 2015, Samoa Joe wrestled his final match for TNA, losing to Austin Aries in Wembley Arena, London, England.
February 2015: ROH Return
After departing TNA in February 2015, Samoa Joe briefly returned to ROH.
February 2015: Departure from TNA
In February 2015, Samoa Joe announced his departure from TNA, ending his nearly decade-long run with the company, due to his perception that TNA management did not care about the X Division title change after Low Ki's injury.
March 2015: Broadcast of Samoa Joe's Final Match in TNA
In March 2015, Samoa Joe's final match in TNA, a loss to Austin Aries, finally aired on television due to a broadcast delay.
May 20, 2015: Stops Kevin Owens From Attacking Sami Zayn
On May 20, 2015, Samoa Joe stopped Kevin Owens from attacking Sami Zayn with a chair during the main event of NXT TakeOver: Unstoppable.
October 2015: Wins Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic
In October 2015, Samoa Joe, with NXT Champion Finn Bálor as his partner, won the inaugural Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic tournament, defeating Baron Corbin and Rhyno in the finals at NXT TakeOver: Respect.
November 4, 2015: Turns on Finn Balor
On November 4, 2015, Samoa Joe turned on Finn Bálor by attacking him after a match against Apollo Crews on NXT.
December 2015: Challenges Finn Balor for the NXT Championship
In December 2015 at NXT TakeOver: London, Samoa Joe unsuccessfully challenged Finn Bálor for the NXT Championship.
2015: Joins WWE NXT Brand
In 2015, after leaving TNA, Samoa Joe began wrestling for WWE on its NXT brand.
April 2016: Wins NXT Championship
In April 2016 at a NXT live event in Lowell, Massachusetts, Samoa Joe finally defeated Finn Bálor to win the NXT Championship.
June 2016: Defeats Finn Balor at NXT TakeOver: The End
In June 2016 at NXT TakeOver: The End, Samoa Joe defeated Finn Bálor in a steel cage match in his first title defense, marking the end of their feud.
December 3, 2016: Loses NXT Championship to Nakamura
On December 3, 2016, in Osaka, Japan, Samoa Joe lost the NXT Championship back to Shinsuke Nakamura, ending his second reign at 14 days.
December 8, 2016: Feud with Nakamura ends
On December 8, 2016, in Melbourne, Australia, Samoa Joe's feud with Nakamura ended when Nakamura successfully defended the NXT Championship against him in a steel cage match.
January 2017: Joins WWE Main Roster
In January 2017, Samoa Joe joined the WWE main roster after winning the NXT Championship twice.
January 30, 2017: WWE Main Roster Debut
On January 30, 2017, Samoa Joe debuted on WWE's main roster on the episode of Raw, attacking Seth Rollins and aligning himself with Triple H.
October 30, 2017: Returns from injury
On October 30, 2017, Samoa Joe returned from injury on the episode of Raw.
November 2017: Teams with Finn Balor at Survivor Series
In November 2017, at Survivor Series, Samoa Joe teamed with Finn Bálor, Braun Strowman, Triple H and Kurt Angle as "Team Raw" to defeat Bobby Roode, John Cena, Randy Orton, Shane McMahon, and Shinsuke Nakamura as "Team SmackDown" in a Survivor Series match.
January 2018: Suffers foot injury
In January 2018, Samoa Joe suffered a tear to the plantar fascia in his right foot during a match with Titus O'Neil.
April 2018: Returns from Injury
In April 2018, Samoa Joe returned from injury following WrestleMania 34 and unsuccessfully challenged Seth Rollins for the Intercontinental Championship in a ladder match at the Greatest Royal Rumble.
May 2018: Loses to Roman Reigns at Backlash
In May 2018, Samoa Joe lost to Roman Reigns at Backlash.
June 2018: Competes in Money in the Bank Ladder Match
In June 2018, Samoa Joe competed in the Money in the Bank ladder match at Money in the Bank, which was won by Braun Strowman.
August 2018: Unsuccessfully challenges AJ Styles for WWE Championship
In August 2018, Samoa Joe unsuccessfully challenged WWE Champion AJ Styles at SummerSlam.
September 2018: Unsuccessfully challenges AJ Styles for WWE Championship at Hell in a Cell
In September 2018, Samoa Joe unsuccessfully challenged WWE Champion AJ Styles at Hell in a Cell.
October 2018: Unsuccessfully challenges AJ Styles for WWE Championship at Super Show-Down
In October 2018, Samoa Joe unsuccessfully challenged WWE Champion AJ Styles a third time at Super Show-Down.
November 2018: Unsuccessfully challenges AJ Styles for WWE Championship at Crown Jewel and competes at Survivor Series
In November 2018, Samoa Joe unsuccessfully challenged WWE Champion AJ Styles a fourth time at Crown Jewel. At Survivor Series later that month, Joe teamed with Jeff Hardy, The Miz, Rey Mysterio, and Shane McMahon as "Team SmackDown" in a loss to Bobby Lashley, Braun Strowman, Dolph Ziggler, Drew McIntyre, and Finn Bálor as "Team Raw".
January 2019: Competes in Royal Rumble
In January 2019, Samoa Joe competed in the Royal Rumble but was eliminated by Mustafa Ali.
February 2019: Unsuccessfully Challenges for WWE Championship at Elimination Chamber
In February 2019, Samoa Joe unsuccessfully challenged Daniel Bryan for the WWE Championship in an Elimination Chamber match that also included AJ Styles, Jeff Hardy, Kofi Kingston, and Randy Orton.
March 5, 2019: Wins WWE United States Championship
On March 5, 2019, Samoa Joe defeated R-Truth, Rey Mysterio, and Andrade in a fatal four way match to win the WWE United States Championship on SmackDown Live.
April 2019: Successfully defends WWE United States Championship at WrestleMania 35
In April 2019, Samoa Joe successfully defended the WWE United States Championship against Rey Mysterio at WrestleMania 35 in a singles match lasting under one minute.
July 2019: Unsuccessfully challenges for WWE Championship
In July 2019, Samoa Joe attacked WWE Champion Kofi Kingston, leading to a title match at Extreme Rules that was won by Kingston. He also unsuccessfully challenged Kingston for the title at Smackville in a triple threat match.
September 2019: King of the Ring Tournament
In September 2019, Samoa Joe competed in the 2019 King of the Ring tournament, reaching the semi-finals and then becoming inactive due to a broken thumb.
November 18, 2019: Becomes Color Commentator on Raw
On November 18, 2019, while injured, Samoa Joe began appearing as a color commentator on the episode of Raw, replacing Dio Maddin.
December 23, 2019: Attacked by Authors of Pain
On December 23, 2019, on the episode of Raw, Samoa Joe was attacked by the Authors of Pain.
2019: Begins Working as Color Commentator
In 2019, Samoa Joe began working as a color commentator for WWE due to accumulated injuries.
January 2020: Returns to the Ring
In January 2020, Samoa Joe returned to the ring. Later that month he competed in the Royal Rumble, being eliminated by Seth Rollins.
April 27, 2020: Replaces Jerry Lawler as Raw Color Commentator
On April 27, 2020, Samoa Joe returned to television on the episode of Raw, replacing Jerry Lawler as the Raw color commentator.
April 12, 2021: Replaced on Raw commentary team
On April 12, 2021, Samoa Joe was replaced by Corey Graves on the Raw commentary team.
April 15, 2021: Released by WWE
On April 15, 2021, Samoa Joe was released by WWE.
April 2021: Released from WWE Contract
In April 2021, Samoa Joe was released from his WWE contract.
September 12, 2021: Relinquishes NXT Championship
On September 12, 2021, Samoa Joe relinquished the NXT Championship before making any title defenses, citing a combination of testing positive for COVID-19 and WWE chairman Vince McMahon wanting to change the overall creative direction of NXT.
January 6, 2022: Released by WWE Again
On January 6, 2022, Samoa Joe was released by WWE once again, having not reappeared on television since his third reign as NXT Champion.
January 2022: Released from WWE Contract Again
In January 2022, Samoa Joe was released from his WWE contract for the second time.
April 1, 2022: Returns to Ring of Honor
On April 1, 2022, Samoa Joe returned to Ring of Honor at Supercard of Honor XV, coming to the aid of Jonathan Gresham and Lee Moriarty.
June 2022: Sweet Tooth performance
In June 2022, Samoa Joe was announced as doing the physical performance of the character Sweet Tooth for Peacock's adaptation of Twisted Metal.
July 2022: Successfully defends ROH World Television Championship
In July 2022, Samoa Joe successfully defended the ROH World Television Championship against Jay Lethal at Death Before Dishonor.
November 2022: Wins AEW TNT Championship
In November 2022, Samoa Joe defeated Wardlow and Hobbs at Full Gear to win the TNT Championship, becoming a double champion.
November 30, 2022: First TNT Championship defense
On November 30, 2022, on the episode of Dynamite, Samoa Joe made his first successful TNT Championship defense against AR Fox.
December 2022: Defends ROH World Television Championship at Final Battle
In December 2022, at the ROH pay-per-view Final Battle, Samoa Joe successfully defended the ROH World Television Championship against Juice Robinson.
2022: Nicknamed "King of Television"
In 2022, after winning the AEW TNT Championship and ROH World Television Championship, Samoa Joe began referring to himself as the "King of Television".
January 4, 2023: Loses TNT Championship to Allin
On January 4, 2023, on the episode of Dynamite, Samoa Joe lost the TNT Championship to Allin, ending his reign at 46 days.
March 2023: Wardlow defeats Joe
In March 2023, Wardlow defeated Joe to win the TNT Championship at Revolution.
August 2023: Challenged CM Punk for the "Real World Championship" at All In
In August 2023, Samoa Joe unsuccessfully challenged CM Punk for the "Real World Championship" at All In.
September 2023: WarJoe breaks up
In September 2023, the "WarJoe" team broke up due to Joe attacking Wardlow after Powerhouse Hobbs began eyeing Wardlow's TNT Championship, causing Wardlow to unintentionally undermine Joe and his ROH World Television Championship turning heel.
November 10, 2023: Vacated ROH World Television Championship
On November 10, 2023, Samoa Joe vacated the ROH World Television Championship in order to focus on challenging for the AEW World Championship.
November 2023: Teamed with MJF at Full Gear
In November 2023 at Full Gear, Samoa Joe, substituting for the injured Adam Cole, teamed with MJF to successfully defend the ROH World Tag Team Championship against the Gunns.
December 2023: Won the AEW World Championship
In December 2023 at Worlds End, Samoa Joe cleanly defeated MJF by technical submission using the Coquina Clutch to win the AEW World Championship.
2023: Appeared on Doughboys podcast
In 2023, Samoa Joe appeared on the Doughboys podcast, reviewing Taco Bell.
January 2024: First AEW Title Defence
In January 2024, Samoa Joe defeated Hook in his first AEW title defense.
March 2024: AEW Title Defence at Revolution
In March 2024 at Revolution, Samoa Joe successfully defended his AEW title against "Hangman" Adam Page and Swerve Strickland in a three-way match, submitting Page using the Coquina Clutch.
April 2024: Lost the AEW World Championship
In April 2024 at AEW Dynasty, Samoa Joe lost the AEW World Championship to Strickland, ending his reign at 113 days.
June 2024: Formed tag team with Hook
In June 2024, Samoa Joe formed a tag team with Hook and defeated Chris Jericho's Learning Tree stable and Jeff Cobb in a trios match at Forbidden Door.
July 2024: Taken out by Jericho
In July 2024, Samoa Joe was removed from the Scotiabank Saddledome in an ambulance after losing a "Stampede Street Fight" to Jericho. The angle was used to explain Joe going on hiatus to film season two of Twisted Metal.
January 2025: Returned to AEW
In January 2025, Samoa Joe returned at AEW Maximum Carnage, saving Hook from an attack by The Patriarchy.
February 2025: The Opps dubbed
In February 2025, the trio of Samoa Joe, Hook, and Shibata were dubbed "The Opps".
April 2025: Won AEW World Trios Championship
In April 2025, at Dynamite: Spring BreakThru, Samoa Joe, Shibata, and Powerhouse Hobbs (substituting for an injured Hook) defeated the Death Riders for the AEW World Trios Championship, and Joe inducted Hobbs as a member of The Opps.
September 2025: Teamed with Hobbs
In September 2025 at All Out, Samoa Joe and Hobbs defeated the WorkHorsemen. In the same month, Hook returned from injury but departed The Opps.
October 1, 2025: Teamed with Adam Page
On October 1, 2025, Samoa Joe and Hobbs teamed with AEW World Champion "Hangman" Adam Page to defeat the Death Riders, leading to a challenge for Page's World Championship.
November 22, 2025: Won AEW World Championship for second time
On November 22, 2025, at Full Gear, Samoa Joe defeated Adam Page in a steel cage match with the assistance of Hook, winning the AEW World Championship for a second time.
January 14, 2026: The Opps lost the AEW World Trios Championship
On January 14, 2026 taping of Collision: Maximum Carnage, the Opps lost the AEW World Trios Championship to Page and JetSpeed.
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