A former AEW World Champion is out with an injury.
Samoa Joe has suffered a setback. On Wednesday’s episode of Dynamite, commentator Excalibur announced that the former AEW World Champion sustained a non-contact injury during training and has not been cleared to compete. No specifics were given regarding the nature of the injury, and there is currently no timetable for Joe’s return to the ring.
Joe has remained a central figure in the world championship picture in recent months. He dropped the title to MJF at Worlds End in a four-way match that also included Swerve Strickland and “Hangman” Adam Page. That bout ended Joe’s short reign, which began when he defeated Page inside a steel cage at Full Gear.
Before the injury announcement, Joe’s most recent in-ring appearance came on the January 21 episode of Dynamite, where he defeated “Speedball” Mike Bailey.
In addition to his singles run, Joe was also part of The Opps alongside Katsuyori Shibata and Powerhouse Hobbs. The trio previously held the AEW World Trios Championships but lost them earlier this month at the Maximum Carnage edition of Collision to Page and JetSpeed.
With Joe now sidelined, AEW will be without one of its most dominant main-event presences as the World Title scene continues to take shape around MJF.
How Long Has Samoa Joe Been With AEW?
Samoa Joe has been with AEW since 2022, when he debuted for the company shortly after leaving WWE. He initially competed primarily in Ring of Honor following Tony Khan’s purchase of the promotion, before becoming a regular fixture on television.
Since joining, Joe has held multiple championships, including the AEW World Championship, the ROH World Championship, and the World Trios Titles, establishing himself as one of the promotion’s most accomplished veterans.
