Samoa Joe teases new alliance with former WWE star; extends incredible streak as champion

During his title defense at the ROH pay-per-view, Samoa Joe teased a new alliance with a former WWE star. The star in question is none other than Stokely Hathaway (FKA Malcolm Bivens).

Joe faced Dalton Castle at Death Before Dishonour for the ROH World Television Championship. After a hard-fought match, Castle, who entered the match with Brandon and Brent Tate at ringside, failed to win the title from Joe.

However, what grabbed the most eyeballs was Samoa Joe's warm handshake with Stokely Hathaway after the match. Hathaway, known as Malcolm Bivens in WWE, has played manager to Tyler Bate and Diamond Mine in NXT.

In the match closing moments, Joe, constantly distracted by The Boys' shenanigans outside the ring, expressed his displeasure to Stokely Hathaway, who was at the announce table. In response, the former WWE manager appealed for and caused the ejection of Brandon and Brent Tate from the ringside area.

With the referee distracted in removing the duo, Joe hit a low blow on Dalton and then applied the Coquina Clutch. The challenger passed out, and the match ended with the champ retaining the title.

Post-match, the Samoan Submission Machine shook Stokely Hathway's hand to acknowledge his assistance in the match and left the ring. Whether it leads to a new alliance between Joe and Hathway remains to be seen.

With his victory at the pay-per-view, Samoa Joe, who won the ROH World Television Title in April 2022, has extended his streak of successful title defenses to 11 and is just a few days away from becoming the second-longest-reigning World Television Champion.

What is your take on the match? Sound off in the comments section below.

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