WWE suspends Samoa Joe for wellness policy violation

WWE have today confirmed that Samoa Joe has been suspended for 30 days due to a wellness policy violation, effective Monday, February 24th.

The company confirmed that this is Joe's first violation, and the news followed a report that the former NXT Champion is sidelined, potentially for a very long time, due to an injury bizarrely sustained while filming a commercial.

WWE has suspended Nuufolau Seanoa (Samoa Joe) for 30 days effective Monday, February 24, for his first violation of the company’s talent wellness policy.https://t.co/3PiiutkI32

— WWE (@WWE) February 25, 2020

The news of Joe's suspension follows on from several months of bad news for the former United States Champion, who has spent a considerable amount of time on the shelf due to a broken thumb followed by a concussion sustained not long after his return.

Joe had most recently joined forces with Kevin Owens and the Viking Raiders to face off against the 'Monday Night Messiah' Seth Rollins and his disciples, before the aforementioned concussion would eliminate Joe from his match for the RAW Tag Team Championships in a match which almost incredibly saw Owens win the Tag Team Championships all by himself.

Joe was notable in his absence this week when the Street Profits came to the aid of Owens and the Viking Raiders to close out the show, and has seemingly already been replaced in the angle by Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins.