An inescapable figure from the golden years of Total Nonstop Action (TNA), Samoa Joe was a dominant presence between 2005 and 2015, conquering every championship available after first making his name in companies such as Ring of Honor (ROH).
Born on March 17, 1979, in Orange County, California, his real name is Nuufolau Joel Seanoa. Before becoming a professional wrestler, Joe practised judo and played football, and even worked as a mortgage broker. He debuted at the UIWA West Coast Dojo in December 1999.
The following year, he signed with the then-WWF developmental territory Ultimate Pro Wrestling (UPW), where he feuded with John Cena. After a stint in Japan with Pro Wrestling Zero-One — and while cementing himself as one of the top stars in ROH — Joe signed with TNA on June 14, 2005.
During his first year and a half in TNA, the “Samoan Submission Machine” remained undefeated by pinfall or submission. Over the course of a decade, he captured the TNA World Heavyweight Championship (once), TNA Television Championship (once), TNA X Division Championship (five times), and TNA World Tag Team Championship (twice — once alone, and once with Magnus).
Here are Samoa Joe’s ten best TNA matches, in chronological order.
No Surrender 2005 – Samoa Joe vs. Chris Sabin
Joe debuted at Slammiversary 2005, easily defeating Sonjay Dutt. Just five days later on Impact! (June 24), he defeated Delirious. By July 8, after Chris Sabin’s win over David Young, Joe attacked and locked him in a submission hold. Later that night, he beat Elix Skipper and Shark Boy in a triple threat match.
The following week, Sabin interfered in Joe’s tag match with Christopher Daniels against Team Canada, sparking a backstage brawl that set up their No Surrender showdown.
Sacrifice 2005 – TNA Super X Cup Final: AJ Styles vs. Samoa Joe
That summer, TNA launched the eight-man Super X Cup tournament to determine the number-one contender for the X Division Championship. Joe defeated Sonjay Dutt and Alex Shelley to reach the final, where he met AJ Styles, who had eliminated Matt Bentley and Petey Williams.
Unbreakable 2005 – TNA X Division Championship: Christopher Daniels (c) vs. AJ Styles vs. Samoa Joe
At Sacrifice, Joe beat Styles after interference from Christopher Daniels, earning a title shot. Initially set to face Daniels one-on-one at Unbreakable, AJ Styles was later added to the match after weeks of escalating tensions.
The result was an all-time classic — a triple threat bout that Dave Meltzer awarded a rare five-star rating.
Turning Point 2005 – TNA X Division Championship: AJ Styles (c) vs. Samoa Joe
Following his Unbreakable loss, Styles successfully defended against Daniels in a 30-minute Iron Man match at Bound For Glory and again beat Petey Williams at Genesis. That same night, Samoa Joe and Daniels survived a tag elimination match — until Joe viciously attacked Daniels, sidelining him.
Styles accused Joe of breaking the X Division’s unwritten code of honour and challenged him at Turning Point. Two weeks before the match, Joe attacked Styles and made it clear: he didn’t care about any “code.”
Final Resolution 2006 – TNA X Division Championship: Samoa Joe (c) vs. Christopher Daniels
At Turning Point, Joe defeated AJ Styles to win the X Division Championship. After the match, he attempted to injure Styles the same way he had Daniels — but Daniels made the save. This set up their Final Resolution clash.
Impact! – April 13, 2006: TNA X Division Championship: Christopher Daniels (c) vs. Samoa Joe
Joe retained the title against Daniels and Styles at Against All Odds, then lost it to Daniels in an Ultimate X match at Destination X. After earning another title shot, Joe faced Daniels on the debut of Impact! in its new Thursday night slot.
Genesis 2006 – Samoa Joe vs. Kurt Angle
Kurt Angle debuted in TNA on October 19, 2006, confronting Joe, who was in possession of Jeff Jarrett’s stolen NWA World Heavyweight Championship belt. Their tension escalated until Genesis, where Angle defeated Joe via ankle lock — ending Joe’s 18-month unbeaten streak.
Turning Point 2006 – Samoa Joe vs. Kurt Angle
Following Genesis, Joe acknowledged Angle as “the better man” that night and asked for a handshake. Angle refused, leading to a heated rematch at Turning Point.
Lockdown 2008 – Six Sides of Steel: TNA World Heavyweight Championship: Kurt Angle (c) vs. Samoa Joe
After teaming with Christian Cage and Kevin Nash to defeat The Angle Alliance at Destination X, Joe challenged Angle for the World Heavyweight Championship inside a steel cage at Lockdown 2008. Joe vowed to leave TNA if he didn’t win — and trained intensely in the weeks leading up. This was their fifth major singles meeting.
Turning Point 2009 – TNA World Heavyweight Championship: AJ Styles (c) vs. Daniels vs. Samoa Joe
At Bound For Glory 2009, Styles retained the title against Sting, ending The Icon’s undefeated streak at the event. Weeks later, after a mysterious backstage attack on Styles, suspicion fell on both Daniels and Joe, setting up a triple threat for Turning Point.
Legacy and Beyond TNA
Samoa Joe’s decade in TNA left an indelible mark on the company. His undefeated streak, brutal intensity, and ability to deliver match-of-the-year contenders made him one of the defining stars of the promotion’s golden era.
In 2015, Joe signed with WWE, where he became a two-time NXT Champion and later held the United States Championship twice. Known for his sharp promos and hard-hitting style, he remained a standout presence until his release in 2021.
Soon after, he returned briefly to WWE, notably commentating at WrestleMania, before ultimately moving to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) in 2022, where he added the AEW World Championship and guiding the company through a difficult time, and then ROH World Television Championship to his long list of accolades. As of today, Samoa Joe remains one of wrestling’s most respected and feared competitors — a true embodiment of the phrase “Samoan Submission Machine.”
