Samoa Joe recently appeared on The Ross Report, here are some highlights…
On the chances of going to WWE: “I’m very much personally open to going there, I kinda look at it as the unchallenged challenge of my career. It’s something I would love to take a shot at. As of right now, between me and WWE, people have reached out. There’s been queries back and forth, as of right now we will see what presents itself. I can say this. Whatever the opportunity may be whether it be something more formal, or something that’s just on a trial basis. I don’t have any illusions or trumped up ego about taking advantage of my opportunities, every time one is presented to me I think I’ve delivered.”
On CM Punk in UFC: “I think he’ll exceed expectations that a lot of people have for him. I know he’s the type of person that when he commits to something he commits to it wholeheartedly, he’s a very black and white individual when it comes to everything in his life. That obviously brings up friction, anger, controversy and conflict. I’ve learnt to deal with that aspect of his personality I think that is why I’m one of his few close friends. He’s dedicated to it. Obviously, the minute I heard about it I called him up and expressed both my concern and hopes. He said to me, I’m in, and that’s all I need to hear from him, so I hope he does well, I hope he goes out there and kicks ass.”
On working with Sting in TNA: “You know what, I grew to enjoy it. It’s funny, our initial interaction between me and Sting it was a little rough at first. Sting, he had felt that we as younger guys held a deep resentment towards him, because he came in and he was getting a top level spot and I dropped the belt to him, and it was never verbalized or vocalized between us and I honestly didn’t. I know at times, especially early in my career in TNA I was a bit of a hot head about stuff, it wasn’t about Sting though, it was more about things they were doing with me at the time and things I disagreed with, and things that I felt a lot of times I was more of an afterthought because of my youth than other things we focused on regardless of the results I was getting for the company. I admit early on in my career at some points I handled it the wrong way and let my temper get the better of me. I think Sting felt that it was because of him, and it wasn’t.”
