Samoa Joe

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.