Former WWE star confirms Samoa Joe was the mastermind behind shocking angle

AEW star Samoa Joe has been instrumental in several major moments in wrestling over the last two decades, but it seems that he's had a hand in more than he gets credit for. Former WWE Superstar Mustafa Ali recently revealed that Joe was the mastermind behind his revelation as the leader of RETRIBUTION.

RETRIBUTION was formed in WWE in August 2020, at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. While the stable's storyline ultimately ended in disappointment for many fans, its formation and early rampages produced several shocking moments.

One of these came four years ago today, on the October 5, 2020, episode of Monday Night RAW. That night, it seemed that Mustafa Ali and The Hurt Business were going to be attacked by RETRIBUTION. Suddenly, Ali slid out of the ring to confront the masked faction before revealing himself to be their leader.

In a recent post on X (fka Twitter), Mustafa Ali claimed that Samoa Joe was the one who came up with the angle:

"The original 'reveal' idea was completely different. I remember I asked @SamoaJoe for advice and he came up with this idea for the reveal. He’s brilliant," wrote Ali.

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Samoa Joe is pursuing outside endeavors amid his AEW absence

Samoa Joe was a major presence for All Elite Wrestling throughout the first half of 2024. However, the 45-year-old has been absent since his loss to Chris Jericho on the July 10 episode of Wednesday Night Dynamite.

The Samoan Submission Machine was scheduled to begin filming for the second season of Twisted Metal, in which he plays Sweet Tooth. He was also recently revealed as a character in the new Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii video game, which will be released in February 2025.

Samoa Joe's profile seems to be growing beyond the bounds of the wrestling industry. It's unclear when The Samoan Submission Machine will return to action in AEW, but fans are buzzing after WWE referenced the 45-year-old on Instagram. Check it out here.