Nuufolau Joel Seanoa (born March 17, 1979), better known by the ring name Samoa Joe, is an American professional wrestler. He is currently performing for All Elite Wrestling (AEW) and its sister promotion, Ring of Honor (ROH), where he is the current ROH World Television Champion in his first reign. He is also a former two-time AEW TNT Champion.
Debuting in 1999, Joe joined ROH soon upon its formation in 2002, holding the ROH World Championship for a record 21 months from March 2003 to December 2004; he was later inducted into the ROH Hall of Fame. In June 2005, he joined Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), where he embarked on a 19-month-long undefeated streak. During his 10-year stint in TNA, he held the TNA World Heavyweight Championship once; the TNA X Division Championship five times; the TNA World Tag Team Championship twice; and the TNA Television Championship once.
After departing TNA in 2015, Joe began wrestling for WWE on its NXT brand. After winning the NXT Championship twice, he joined the main roster in January 2017, going on to win the WWE United States Championship on two occasions and headline several pay-per-view events. In 2019, he began working as a color commentator due to accumulated injuries. He was released from his contract in April 2021, but was rehired that June, winning the NXT Championship a third time before being released once again in January 2022. He made his return to ROH, and his debut in AEW, in April 2022.
Early life
Seanoa was born on March 17, 1979, and raised in Orange County, California. He resided mainly in Huntington Beach and spent time during his childhood in ʻEwa Beach, Hawaii. His family founded a Polynesian dance troupe in the United States called Tiare Productions. Seanoa made his stage debut at the 1984 Summer Olympics opening at the age of five. He became a California State Junior Judo Champion and was an all league football player while attending Ocean View High School. Before becoming a wrestler, Seanoa worked as a mortgage broker.
Professional wrestling career
Early career (1999–2001) Seanoa attended the United Independent Wrestling Alliance (UIWA) West Coast Dojo, where he trained under Cincinnati Red, Johnny Hemp and, occasionally, John Delayo. He debuted in December 1999 in a match against "Uncle" Jess Hansen three months after beginning his training, adopting the ring name "Samoa Joe". In 2000, Joe began appearing with the California-based Ultimate Pro Wrestling (UPW) promotion, then a developmental affiliate of the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), where he feuded with John Cena. He held the UPW No Holds Barred Championship from March to April 2001. He was named Southern California's Rookie of the Year for 2000. In February 2001, he appeared on an episode of WWF Jakked, losing to Essa Rios; he was subsequently told by WWF personnel that he "didn't have a future in [the WWF"]. In March 2001, Joe defeated Christopher Daniels to win the UPW Heavyweight Championship; he held the title for a record 258 days before losing to Mikey Henderson in November 2001. In October 2001, Joe competed in All Pro Wrestling's "King of Indies" tournament that was won by American Dragon.
Pro Wrestling Zero-One (2001–2003) As part of a working arrangement between Ultimate Pro Wrestling and Shinya Hashimoto's Pro Wrestling Zero-One promotion, Joe made his first appearance in Japan in June 2001, participating in Pro Wrestling Zero-One's "Shingeki" series of pay-per-views as well as the annual Burning Heart tournament. In his debut match he teamed with Keiji Sakoda to defeat Katsumi Usuda and Yuki Ishikawa to become the inaugural Intercontinental Tag Team Champions; the titles were awarded to Mike Rapada and Steve Corino the following month.
Joe returned to Pro Wrestling Zero-One in January 2002, where Masato Tanaka and Shinjiro Otani defeated him and Tom Howard to win the vacant Intercontinental Tag Team Championship. He continued to work for the promotion throughout 2002, participating in a number of its biggest shows and tournaments as "Samoa Joe" and later "King Joe".
Joe made his final appearances with Pro Wrestling Zero-One in August 2003 as part of its "Summer Festival 2003" tour. Wrestling as "King Joe", he competed in a series of tag team matches and six-man tag team matches, including teaming with King Adamo to unsuccessfully challenge Kohei Sato and Hirotaka Yokoi for the All Asia Tag Team Championship.