5 rare matches of Samoa Joe outside WWE you might not have seen (with videos)
Samoa Joe has long been one of the biggest names in pro wrestling to never sign with the WWE in a major way. Despite being a jobber for the promotion in 2001, Joe was declined a major contract because he lacked most of the attributes WWE was looking for in a star.
To remedy that disappointment, Joe went to work on the independent scene, and proceeded to make a name for himself as an outstanding worker and an incredible athlete in general. For years, Joe made up for his less-than-impressive physique by being incredibly strong, remarkably agile for a man his size, and by possessing an aura of legitimate danger about him.
Because of these assets, Samoa Joe eventually made his way to WWE, though his run thus far hasn’t been anywhere near as exciting or as successful as his independent run. To show the world what made Joe such an exciting wrestler, here are five matches of his that you might not have seen before, but absolutely must watch.
#5 Samoa Joe vs Jushin Liger, TNA Bound For Glory 2005
This was a short match in comparison to others on this list, but that doesn’t take away its importance. As the commentators stated, Liger was a 20-year veteran when this match happened, yet he still showed incredible agility and athleticism for a man his age.
Furthermore, despite Samoa Joe outweighing him by a considerable amount, Liger was more than able to hang with Samoa Joe, who was both younger and stronger.
Ultimately, this was an exciting and quick-paced match that really gave Samoa Joe a major boost in his profile. After all, he managed to defeat the legendary Jushin ‘Thunder’ Liger in just over ten minutes while extending his undefeated streak even further.