Samoa Joe announced on Tuesday that he is parting ways with TNA Wrestling after 9 years with the company. Based on what we’re hearing from sources in TNA, it was a very amicable split and the door is open for them to do business again in the future.
Joe’s decision to leave TNA was very similar to that of AJ Styles. Like Styles, Joe had been with the company since its early days and it all came down to money. TNA today is a very different company than it was several years ago, operating with a drastically reduced budget. TNA was unable to match the money that Joe had been previously making. The negotiations were ‘friendly’ the entire time, but in the end, TNA simply couldn’t offer him enough to stay.
Joe will have no problem finding work elsewhere. The question is, where does he go next? WWE, Ring of Honor, New Japan Pro Wrestling, Lucha Underground and working the indy scene are all viable options for the former TNA World Champion.
Triple H is said to be very interested in giving Joe a shot at NXT. Vince McMahon does not have much interest in him, but there’s already talk of giving him a tryout at the Performance Center in the upcoming weeks/months. TNA does not have ‘no compete’ clauses in their contracts, so Joe could theoretically show up in another promotion as early as this weekend.
* Discussion: Where Should SAMOA JOE Wrestle Next? Should WWE Sign Him?