Goodbye Samoa Joe

[The Flamboyance 0]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EWId_gX0_Q

 

Damn, this sucks.

[luke-o 0]

That ending video makes you realise how awesome Samoa Joe is.

[bob_barron 0]

That REALLY sucks.

 

Wow.

[Eclipse 0]

What's the reason that Joe is leaving ROH? Is it because he chose to?

[theintensifier 0]

Says he's being forced to.

 

TNA is probably worried about Joe's health right now.

[k thx 0]

Maybe TNA are going full time?

[daileyxplanet 0]

I think this is beneficial to both parties, as Joe is almost too big for ROH now.

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

There isn't really a whole lot left for Joe to do in ROH. He can go for being the first guy to have held all the titles in ROH, but that's it. Let him go, he'll stick to TNA and any other places for a while, maybe a year or so, and then come back for one-off major matches.

[Youth N Asia 0]

Damn. I'm going to the Detroit shows on Mania weekend and he's leaving just before those.

 

While it sucks, how much more can he really do there. Probably a good call

[Eclipse 0]

Makes sense....TNA would want him to be in good shape for his feud with Angle. I guess since he has the most bookings with ROH, they took him off the ROH dates at least.

[The Flamboyance 0]

Yeah. I'm not at all suprised. I agree that Joe has done alot for ROH but it's still sad. I was really hoping he'd be the first Triple Crown champ but oh well. I'm grateful that I was able to see him live in ROH. I'm glad I'll be able to see him face Morishima next month. That's all I could ask for really. I just hope that TNA comes to NY and NJ so I can see him again. Hopefully, he'll come back to ROH for special appearances in NY or NJ also in the future. I would rather him stay and do more, but it's not up to me and I can understand why this decision was made. It still sucks though :-/

[Garth 0]

Knowing this has made me want to attend the Liverpool shows even more than I already did. I want to be there to say goodbye to Joe, can you imagine the kind of reaction he is going to get? He will get treatment like he is second coming.

[tigeraid 0]

Ya, the only part that really bothers me is that his goodbye tour happens right before our show in Detroit, the Wrestlemania Doubleshot. I would've wanted to see him live one more time.

 

To be fair though, there's no proof or answer to WHY he's quitting ROH. He used the word "forced" once, but it could've been a coin of phrase, or that he "forced himself" or that sort of thing. I mean, if they're forcing Joe, why aren't they forcing Homicide, who has the tag titles, or Daniels, who seems to be about to get a main event push in TNA? (Then again, they're both also title holders in ROH, so maybe that's why...)

 

Anyway, allegedly the Observer has the "real reason" why in the next issue, so I guess we'll see. I'd rather see Joe healthy and pushed to the moon in TNA anyway. He did make it clear he's quit the REGULAR roster for ROH. I'm sure he'll be back in the future for the odd one-shot.

 

I've heard a few people foolishly say that "ROH will die without him." Which is retarded. They said the same thing when Punk left, yet 2006 was ROH's best year. If there's one thing ROH knows how to do above all else, it's push fresh meat into the main event scene. Wrestlers will fill the void.

 

Regardless, a part of me will sorely miss him in ROH. While he puts on good matches in TNA, there's very few people outside of the X-Division in TNA that can put on the level of match with him that he did in ROH.

 

And this is all I have to say:

 

[World's Worst Man 0]

I'd imagine it might have something to do with TNA and NJPW having a deal, and Joe being the main component of the ROH-NOAH feud. I doubt NJPW would like one of their partner's wrestlers to work for their rival on home-soil. That would explain why the other TNA workers weren't pulled.

[TheFranchise 0]

I wonder who they are going to book him against on the last night.

[Hawk 34 0]

I wonder who they are going to book him against on the last night.

 

The general consensus seems to be Austin Aries, Christopher Daniels and Homicide given their histories together (Since he's already likey to put over Richards, Nigel and Rave on the way out) but there's alot of hope for Gabe sucking his pride in and bringing Low Ki in for a one night shot but that appears more unlikely then Punk coming in for another draw.

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

I highly doubt Gabe would bring in Ki, more over principal than anything. When Ki tried to hold ROH up for money last year, Gabe said Ki was now in the same category as Teddy Hart in that he'd only ever use him again if it was a life or death situation. This isn't life or death.

 

As for who Joe faces on his last night, given that it's England, I would have said Nigel, but that's happening the night before, so I'd say some other English guy if at all possible. If not, then maybe Colt Cabana, because he's popular in the UK from working there whenever he can. It could even be set up from something the night before.

[King Cucaracha 0]

There's an arguement that says Joe should put someone over on his way out (not neccessarily losing, infact it'd be better if he didn't because that'd be too obvious and besides that they already did that with Punk). And there's also an arguement that if Joe's not going to be in ROH after this, they should use up any matches they haven't done yet, rather than do too many 'last time' pairings that we've already seen.

 

So, how about Davey Richards?

 

It's obvious Gabe's high on him and he's got a big future ahead of him. If he can stay with Joe (and there's no reason why he shouldn't) over the 15/20 minutes or so, it could be a career making performance. Joe can still win and Davey wouldn't look bad. And that'd then pass the torch on to Davey, like Gibson did for Roderick and Punk did for Cabana.

 

Personally, I'd rather see that than 'Joe vs. Established ROH Star' on his last night.

[theintensifier 0]

I'm predicting a last time match with Homicide and Joe.

[bob_barron 0]

They already did that at the last show in Edison. Of course given that Joe is 3828-2 against Cide, another win for him wouldn't hurt

[Hawk 34 0]

There's an arguement that says Joe should put someone over on his way out (not neccessarily losing, infact it'd be better if he didn't because that'd be too obvious and besides that they already did that with Punk). And there's also an arguement that if Joe's not going to be in ROH after this, they should use up any matches they haven't done yet, rather than do too many 'last time' pairings that we've already seen.

 

So, how about Davey Richards?

 

It's obvious Gabe's high on him and he's got a big future ahead of him. If he can stay with Joe (and there's no reason why he shouldn't) over the 15/20 minutes or so, it could be a career making performance. Joe can still win and Davey wouldn't look bad. And that'd then pass the torch on to Davey, like Gibson did for Roderick and Punk did for Cabana.

 

Personally, I'd rather see that than 'Joe vs. Established ROH Star' on his last night.

 

Richards is already booked against Joe on 2/17, most likely Joe will put him over that night. Unless they decide to use 2/17 to build for a rematch on 3/4 which could work. Joe has an interesting set up for the Festival Tour

 

2/16-Morishima

2/17-Richards

2/23-Jimmy Rave

2/24-W/Homicide Vs Nigel and Morishima

3/3-Nigel

3/4-?

 

I think when it comes down, it'll likely be Roderick Strong getting the final match since it's only him, Homicide, The Briscoes, Richards and the Dragon Gate guys that are unbooked right now.

 

Don't discount the possibility of Joe teaming with Homicide to challenge the Briscoes for the titles giving Joe the chance to leave as a triple crown champion which plays along the theme of past ROH legends leaving the company on a title shot (London and of course, Punk which turned out to be a work).

[bob_barron 0]

Joe shouldn't be jobbed out though, it's too predictable. I'd put him over Richards and Rave, but make the matches comeptitive, so they get over by hanging with Joe.

 

Assuming he's willing to job, Gabe should swallow his pride and book Low-Ki. The fans deserve it

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

Apparently, it's down to Joe getting the NWA title soon, and TNA don't want Joe in angles and storylines they don't control.

[tigeraid 0]

I suppose looking at this in a positive way... they wouldn't be "forcing" him out of ROH to give him the belt, and have him job to fuckin Jarrett or whatever in a couple months--I could see a long ROH-ish title reign for Joe. Which is EXACTLY what TNA needs: a must-see champion ala Bryan Danielson or Ric Flair.

[Guest NateW]

Apparently, it's down to Joe getting the NWA title soon, and TNA don't want Joe in angles and storylines they don't control.

 

 

For real? Where did you hear this from?

[Corkscrew_Senton 0]

Apparently, it's down to Joe getting the NWA title soon, and TNA don't want Joe in angles and storylines they don't control.

 

 

For real? Where did you hear this from?

 

Could be either my shitty interpretation of things or hopeful thinking, but I would imagine Joe's getting the title soon from the booking.

 

WARNING: Incoming tangent...

 

If booked well, Joe losing to Angle could be a great thing in the long run. Build it up as either Joe beats Christian to win the title, and down the road has to overcome his past by defeating Angle to retain and solidify himself as the premiere player -OR- earn the belt by taking down Angle, the one man who has got the best of him.

 

TANGENT OVER

 

On topic, it's a shame to see Joe go. Obviously I got my first glimpse of Joe in Ring of Honor, and many of his matches there are my favorite of all-time. It's been said already, but there wasn't much more Joe could do in ROH. Having a great mind for the business, he'll put over some of the fed's next wave in a major way before heading out the door.

[tigeraid 0]

There's also a POSSIBLE problem with this picture... Russo is apparently pretty high on Joe and intends to push him to the moon-----very good. But a lot of the shit Russo is booking/writing is just awful, and you gotta think eventually he'll either be removed, or Jarrett will come back and write himself into the whole picture, beat Joe for the belt (christ) and Joe'll get buried, frustrated, and whatever else.

 

So while he hasn't seemed to rule out the odd oneshot for ROH, I think there's always a good possibility he'll end up back on the fulltime roster anyway.

 

Kinda like Punk might be later this year, after Stephanie McMahon and Arn Anderson run the poor fucker out of the company...

[King Cucaracha 0]

I just hope, seeing as it's an NWA Title thing, it doesn't set a precedent and force everyone on the TNA roster to make the choice between the two companies in the future, ending up with a situation like the Feinstein one. I suppose if TNA ever made it legitimately big, it would have to happen, but that's a long way off, if ever.

 

Joe challenging for the Tag Titles with Homicide on his last night would make sense, so long as they don't have them win. I'm not that big of a Briscoes fan personally, but the last thing they need is to drop the belts to the guy on his way out.

 

Personally, I think Strong makes sense.