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Former NXT Champion Samoa Joe was released from his WWE contract after WrestleMania 37. Joe had been serving as a commentator during that time and was not an in-ring competitor.
But, the June 15, 2021, episode of NXT, saw Joe make a surprise return to the brand that once crowned him the top champion. During this return Joe became NXT's Special Enforcer, giving back-up to General Manager William Regal.
However, Regal set two major rules for the former superstar on the brand. Joe would not be allowed to compete inside the NXT ring, and he would not lay his hands on any superstar unless provoked.
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The former United States Champion left a mark on the Black and Gold brand on the first night by intimidating the NXT Champion and choking out Adam Cole. With that in mind, take a look at the five possible feuds for Samoa Joe in WWE NXT if he ends up returning to the ring again.
#5 Johnny Gargano and Samoa Joe could kickstart a rivalry on WWE NXT
Johnny Gargano is one of the most animated characters in WWE today. The former NXT Champion can’t seem to keep his mouth shut at crucial moments. This has landed him in a lot of trouble over the years.
Gargano was seen arguing backstage when he was confronted by Samoa Joe during his first night back in NXT. Johnny Wrestling stood no chance against Joe and decided to back off again.
Fans will likely watch many such face-offs take place backstage between the two men as Gargano has been doing a phenomenal job as a heel. He could end up provoking Joe before ultimately passing out to the Coquina Clutch.
It could end up leading to a rivalry between the two men, with Samoa Joe returning to the ring. Gargano could be the perfect first opponent for The Samoan Submission Machine, who will likely prefer to start with a few safer workers.
The rivalry will allow one of NXT’s best current superstars to take on a former great and possibly give Samoa Joe the spark he needs to return to the ring.
#4 Samoa Joe could be the first man to pin WALTER on WWE NXT
WWE NXT is very different now compared to what it was like when Samoa Joe was around. WALTER is one of the mightiest forces in NXT today. The NXT UK Champion has been dominant for almost two years now, and it looks like no one on the current NXT roster can match him in the ring.
Fans were hoping to watch Finn Balor go after the NXT UK Superstar and his title. However, it looks like that plan has been scrapped by the creative team. Some fans were also hoping to see Drew McIntyre head over to NXT UK to face The Ring General. But it looks like that won’t be happening anytime soon either.
WWE could still look to put WALTER in a match against a former main roster champion at a later stage. But for now we could get Walter Vs Samoa Joe. Joe is serving the role of an enforcer in NXT, and WALTER is one man who won’t like to take orders from anyone.
That could lead to a tussle between the two big men for some time before they officially get into a rivalry. Samoa Joe could look to put The Ring General in his place and challenge him to a match in NXT.
WALTER has had some of the best matches in WWE over the past two years. Having The Samoan Submission Machine face him for a title could help elevate the entire NXT brand.
#3 Adam Cole has already suffered the wrath of Samoa Joe on WWE NXT
Samoa Joe returned to WWE NXT in style this week. The NXT General Manager now has a new assistant who is known to make other superstars pass out in a matter of seconds. Adam Cole learned that the hard way on NXT this week.
Joe tried to stop a fight between Kyle O’Reilly and Adam Cole backstage. Cole made the foolish move of shoving Joe aside while trying to get his hands on KOR.
The move proved to be extremely costly as The Samoan Submission Machine humiliated the former NXT Champion by choking him with a Coquina Clutch. The Panama City Playboy has already been choked out once, and Joe could look to do the same again soon if Cole continues to cause problems.
If Joe is ready to return to the wrestling ring sometime soon, NXT could look to have the two men go against each other to determine who’s the better man on the brand. Cole is another wrestler who is known to be safe in the ring, and that could help Samoa Joe get warmed up.
A rivalry between the two will be extremely entertaining for the fans. The two could end up competing for a chance to move up the ladder and get in contention for the NXT Championship.
#2 Pete Dunne and Samoa Joe could tear down the house on WWE NXT
Samoa Joe had an eventful first night on WWE NXT. He had a few backstage face-offs with superstars including Adam Cole, Austin Theory, and Johnny Gargano. All three men learned their lesson after getting in the new NXT enforcer’s face.
However, one man who seemed more than confident about getting in Joe’s face was none-other than Pete Dunne. The former NXT UK Champion has been one of the toughest wrestlers on the black and gold brand for some time now.
Dunne had a good night at TakeOver: In Your House, and then got in Joe’s face a couple of nights later. The face-off could lead to something bigger in the months to come. The Bruiserweight is known to be a brave superstar who loves to fight against anyone and everyone.
With that in mind, NXT could put Samoa Joe against Dunne at a later date to start a big rivalry between the two men. Both men have diverse fighting styles but are known to be extremely physical in the ring.
The Samoan Submission Machine could do wonders against a technical ace such as Dunne and give fans a few big matches.
#1 Samoa Joe could be the perfect man to defeat Karrion Kross for the WWE NXT Championship
Samoa Joe came out on WWE NXT this week to leave a mark on the world of wrestling. However, he wasn't the first person to come out on the show.
Karrion Kross was the first man to interrupt William Regal on NXT after TakeOver: In Your House. Kross wanted Regal to hand over the reins of the brand to him as he believed that no one deserved to run the house more.
However, his ego was deflated as soon as Samoa Joe’s music hit. The Samoan Submission Machine walked out and offered Regal a helping hand in running the NXT brand.
Not only did Joe become the special enforcer of the brand, but he also managed to make the NXT Champion leave the ring without using his fists. It was one of the best face-offs of the week and gave fans a glimpse of what to expect in the weeks to come.
The British Brawler made it clear that Joe would not compete in the NXT ring or lay his hands on any superstar unless provoked. However, he could end up being provoked by The Herald of Doomsday into a match as soon as he is fit to compete again.
Joe is a superstar who had the fans’ support during his rivalry with Brock Lesnar. He could have even squashed Lesnar without chipping away at his credibility.
Similarly, Samoa Joe could end up being the man who could defeat Karrion Kross for the NXT Championship without denting his value. The Herald of Doomsday will need to give up the NXT title at some point, and Joe could do the honors of making the champion pass out.
Who will provoke Samoa Joe to get back in the WWE NXT ring? Or should the former United States Champion move back to the main roster soon? Share your thoughts on the matter in the comments section below!
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