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Anyone who has watched ROH or TNA over the last four years will know just how good Samoa Joe is; he has what very few wrestlers in this generation of pro wrestling have, the total package. You heard me right. I think he could be one of wrestling’s greatest stars and with TNA going primetime this month and starting to hold international tours, it will become apparent to the casual fans. Here are my reasons why I think Samoa Joe is one of the greatest and will become a big star for TNA.

Wrestling skill: Make no mistake he is one of the best wrestlers around due to his extensive knowledge of wrestling holds from different styles of wrestling from around the world (he isn’t called the Samoan Submission Machine for nothing). The best thing about his wrestling however, is the fact that he has incorporated moves from around the world into his repertoire and is a wrestler who can wrestle all styles: scientific, power, hardcore, high-flying, etc, not to mention he can work well with any style of wrestling and make the most of it. The most credible thing about Samoa Joe as a wrestler however is his UFC fighting style that gives his wrestling an aura of credibility and realism that in the modern era of bodybuilders, high-fliers and effeminate gimmicks have seemed to have lost. A more gritty and ground-and-pound style has become more craved and noticeable in popular wrestlers like Samoa Joe, Senshi and RVD with a martial arts background.

Unique look: Well, maybe not unique but in TNA, but it certainly makes him stand out from the pack. Although he doesn’t have a typical physique (I don’t think it’s essential in this era of pro wrestling), he does have an interesting look in the smaller, interchangeable roster of TNA. He has the classic look of a menacing heel and putting him against the X-Division for a year was a smart build-up (to present him to a national audience) and make him look like a Goldberg-like machine with his undefeated streak (much like Umaga). He is unlike anyone else on the TNA roster.

Charisma/Promos: If you watch ROH or TNA closely you will notice that he is quite good on the mic; he’s no Monty Brown or CM Punk but he can speak fairly well as a face or a heel. In general he has good charisma as his body language suggests and is more articulate with his words rather then angrily making his point which is what makes him stand out. His points are worth listening to and is quite smooth as a talker which is surprising. His facial expressions blend well with whatever emotion he expresses and can be funny on the mic as well as serious, insulting or angry. He can express any emotion with ease and is convincing on the mic, something that not many can do.

Matches: As well as his wrestling skill, he is very proficient at having great to excellent matches with various styles of opponents in various styles of wrestling matches. Watch his (in my opinion) 4 ½ -5 star encounters with AJ Styles, Christopher Daniels, Chris Sabin, Rhino, CM Punk, Bryan Danielson and Abyss who are all quality opposition. Not only is he able to have quality matches, he can carry his opponents to a higher level and can wrestle lengthy bouts and mesh well with their style of wrestling which all possible NWA World Champions should be able to do. He has proven with his high-profile matches with AJ Styles and Christopher Daniels that he is able to draw money wherever it is a semi-final spot or the main event itself. Beating the likes of experienced and established veterans like Rhino, Sabu and Jushin “Thunder” Liger has done him no harm at all and has established himself as a legitimate contender to the NWA World title. He is more then worthy of the gold.

Agility: For a man who stands at 6’3” and 290 pounds you wouldn’t imagine he would have so much agility. His family’s tradition of Polynesian dance troupe, Tiare Productions at an early age surely helped him a lot. As well as being able to get across the ring quite quickly, he is able to execute a suicide dive or a side corkscrew with force like a typical X-Division star with ease. His speed is also what makes his chain-wrestling most effective and also his kicks and chops are met with more velocity when using his surprising speed especially against not so fast opponents. There is no one of his size and girth with that kind of speed around in pro wrestling.

Stamina: Anyone who saw him wrestling mainly the X-Division and thought that he only wrestles smaller wrestlers because he has no stamina should take another look. Although he is 290 pounds, he can wrestle 20+ minute matches with relative ease (which is what you need in a semi-final or main event spot) and has plenty of those lengthy matches against AJ Styles, Christopher Daniels and Chris Sabin under his belt but looking at some of his ROH matches (which are usually lengthy matches), he has wrestled Bryan Danielson in a 40-minute match and has wrestled CM Punk to two one-hour draws. For someone who has a rather undefined physique, his endurance is incredible. He is kind of old-school in a world were to NWA, 60 minute draws were the norm.

All those points aforementioned is clear-cut proof of why Samoa Joe is so highly rated not just by TNA or ROH fans but by many wrestling magazine publishers. For my money, he is the best wrestler not just in the NWA but in the world by a distance. Anyone who thinks I’m wrong just watch him a few times in TNA (preferably on PPV) and see for yourself. I can’t wait for the day where he wins the NWA World title and is ranked number 1 in the PWI 500.

by Anto G. ..