A few weeks back, the injury bug took another bite out of Samoa Joe. This was caused after a rough landing after a dive left Joe with a concussion during the tag team title match where he teamed with Kevin Owens to face Seth Rollins & Buddy Murphy. Concussions are injuries that can put someone out for a few weeks, or force them into retirement depending on severity.
When Will Samoa Joe Be Back?
Samoa Joe could have very likely been out past Wrestlemania had it been too serious, but he will be back this coming Monday. He will be making his return in an 8 man tag team match, teaming with Kevin Owens and The Viking Raider (Erik & Ivar) to face Seth Rollins, Buddy Murphy, and Authors Of Pain (Akam & Rezar). Considering he only went down two weeks ago, this is a fantastic turnaround time on his injury.
Should Samoa Joe Change His Style?
When you consider factors like his age and size, it is amazing when Samoa Joe takes to the air with his diving elbow strike through the ropes. The move is done in tribute to one of his heroes, AJPW wrestling legend Mistuharu Misawa, who used it commonly in his classic matches. Joe had the honor of facing Misawa a few years before his tragic passing in 2009. Because of this link, it could be hard for him to give up this now signature spot.
It was the cause for injury in this situation, and considering most fans come to Joe for his hard hitting strikes and submissions, it is a rather unneeded risk. It could be saved for big matches, and that would make it much more exciting when he busts it out. On a week to week basis however? It is not something he needs in his matches.
It could also be argued that with the frequency of dives through the ropes in WWE as a whole, all but a select few could remove them from their movesets. When nearly everyone on the roster is using similar moves, it makes it so much harder to get invested into matches, as they all start to blend together.
Do you think Samoa Joe needs his signature diving elbow, or would his matches be just as good without this move? Let us know what you think in the comments down below.
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