AEW President Tony Khan shared that he hopes Samoa Joe will take on a backstage role once he retires from in-ring competition.
A few weeks ago, Samoa Joe said his next AEW contract will probably be his last, admitting he’s nearing the end of his wrestling career. He acknowledged that this is probably the case but didn’t completely rule out staying a bit longer.
Responding to Joe’s comments, Tony Khan spoke with Z100 New York and said he hopes the veteran will stay with AEW after retirement in a coaching or mentorship role. He said, “Hugely valuable [in a backstage role]. Samoa Joe is already one of the top mentors in AEW, and anybody who steps in the ring with Samoa Joe learns a lot, and anybody who gets the tutelage of Samoa Joe in AEW learns a lot.”
He noted that Joe’s guidance has helped many younger wrestlers grow, pointing to Powerhouse Hobbs as a great example. “I think Powerhouse Hobbs is a great example of somebody who is currently learning a lot from Samoa Joe that will benefit him throughout the rest of his career. I know he’s learning, to quote Samoa Joe, life lessons, life lessons that will be with him for the rest of his life.”
He said he’s optimistic that when Samoa Joe eventually retires, he’ll stay with the company as a mentor for the next generation of stars. “I’m very optimistic that eventually, whenever Samoa Joe does decide to retire from the ring, I’m very hopeful and optimistic that Samoa Joe will stay with us in AEW and be a mentor to the wrestlers.”
“Not unlike Bryan Danielson, who is still a huge part of AEW, even though he’s not actively competing in the ring. He’s been now for one year away from wrestling since Wrestle Dream last year, but he’s still a huge part of AEW and continues to be. And my hope is that Samoa Joe will stay with us in AEW forever.” [H/T: WrestlingInc]
Tony Khan wants Samoa Joe to stay with AEW for a long time, but Joe is now focused on winning the AEW World Championship from Hangman Page. He turned heel with The Opps at AEW WrestleDream after losing to Page.
Last week, Joe earned another title shot by winning the number one contender’s match on Dynamite for AEW Full Gear. Will Joe finally get his hands on Page’s title now that he has embraced his darker side? Only time will tell.
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