AEW Star Calls Out WWE For Management ‘War’, ‘Playing’ With Wrestlers’ Careers

WWE

AEW star and current ROH Television Championship Samoa Joe has called out WWE for playing with wrestlers’ careers.

Joe’s final years with WWE were very odd from an outsider’s perspective.

After suffering an injury in February 2020, Joe transitioned into a commentary role on WWE Raw that April. He was released by WWE a year later in April 2021.

Joe made his WWE return that June,for the NXT brand. He won the NXT Championship from Karrion Kross in the August, but relinquished the gold prior to the launch of NXT 2.0, and transitioned into a coaching/scouting role.

He was let go again in January 2022, for the second time in the span of a year.

Speaking on Renee Paquette on The Sessions, Joe shared his honest thoughts on the releases, noting:

“That, initially, as I understand it, unconfirmed, there were issues between the two upper echelons of management and they were playing out their war with the careers and contracts of the people underneath them.

“After the initial one, I didn’t have much of a chance to breathe because, essentially, I was hired back within hours. The second time, I just kind of chuckled as I realize it was very much the same situation.

“At the same time, I wasn’t bitter or mad. The truth of it is, and this is to give WWE some credence, is that I was expensive. I was expensive to keep around.

“If cutting my contract, if they say that saved the company money, trust me, I believe it did. I wasn’t hot about that.

“It was just more the silliness of the situation, what they were doing, and the reasoning why they were doing it, which I can never officially confirm, but I’ve heard from enough people that I have a pretty good idea…including many of the people involved.

“After that, I think I spent a day pissed. More of the situation than the actual firing. Then, all these super awesome opportunities literally materialized.”

These releases were made under the previous management regime, prior to Vince McMahon leaving the company in July 2022.

McMahon returned to the WWE board of directors in early January.

For all the news regarding a WWE sale, including potential buyers, changes to the company and more, click here.

Samoa Joe is of course currently with AEW and will challenge Darby Allin for the TNT Championship on this week’s Dynamite.

Transcription via Fightful.

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• Management
• Samoa Joe
• AEW
• wwe

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