16-07-2025
Former AEW Champion Taking Leave Of Absence
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
AEW Trios Champion Samoa Joe is set to miss some time from television following a brutal post-match attack at the All In: Texas pay-per-view. According to a new report, the on-screen angle was a deliberate way to write the champion off of television for a few weeks for a very specific reason.
At the All In event this past Saturday, Joe's team, The Opps, successfully retained their Trios Titles over the Death Riders. However, their celebration was cut short by a beatdown that saw Joe being stretchered out of the arena.
The Real Reason For Samoe Joe's AEW Absence
A new report from Fightful Select has confirmed the reason for the storyline injury. Samoa Joe is scheduled to take time off to handle promotional duties for the upcoming second season of the hit Peacock series, Twisted Metal.
The report notes that Joe is expected to miss "at least a couple of weeks" of AEW programming. The new season of Twisted Metal is set to be released on July 31st.
The Samoan Submission Machine In Hollywood
Twisted Metal is a successful adaptation of the classic PlayStation video game series. In the show, Samoa Joe provides the imposing physical body for the iconic, clown-mask-wearing character, Sweet Tooth. Actor Will Arnett provides the character's voice.
All Elite Wrestling ALL IN at Wembley Stadium in London on August 27, 2023.
All Elite Wrestling ALL IN at Wembley Stadium in London on August 27, 2023.
Courtesy of AEW
The first season was a critical and commercial success for the Peacock streaming service. Joe's involvement in promoting the highly anticipated second season is a major mainstream opportunity for both him and AEW.
A Growing Trend In Wrestling
It is becoming increasingly common for top professional wrestlers to take scheduled time away from the ring to work on major film and television projects. This allows them to expand their brand and bring new eyes to the wrestling product. In recent months, WWE's The Miz took a hiatus to host the reboot of American Gladiators, while WWE Women's Intercontinental Champion Becky Lynch was recently cast in a new FX comedy pilot.
More news: WWE News: Steve Austin Reveals Real-Life Vince McMahon Confrontation
Samoa Joe's absence for his own high-profile project follows this new industry trend. His journey in AEW has seen him hold the TNT Championship twice before reaching the pinnacle of the company by winning the AEW World Championship. While he is currently a Trios Champion, he remains one of AEW's most credible and important main event stars. Fans can expect him to return to AEW programming after his promotional duties for Twisted Metal are complete.
More WWE News:
For more on WWE, head to Newsweek Sports
