AEW

Samoa Joe Has A Time Frame For Retirement

Originally posted on The Sportster | By Ethan Schlabaugh | Last updated Apr 3, 2025 3:21 PM ET

Samoa Joe joined AEW partially due to Tony Khan accommodating his Twisted Metal schedule.
Joe hints at retirement soon, reflecting on his 25 years in wrestling.
His retirement timeframe depends on his contract, but he jokes about the tradition of wrestling retirements.

Samoa Joe has etched an impressive legacy in professional wrestling through his work in Ring of Honor, Total Nonstop Action, WWE, and, most recently, All Elite Wrestling. His career has spanned multiple decades, starting back in 1999, so it makes sense that the concept of retirement is something that comes up for Joe.

Luckily, he has found plenty of work outside the ring, including roles in the Twisted Metal television series and multiple roles in video games, such as Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League and Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. While speaking with Chris Van Vliet, many topics came up, including a timeframe for when he might look at retiring, his time in AEW, and his legacy overall.

Why Samoa Joe Decided To Join AEW

Samoa Joe signed with AEW around April 2022 after making a return to Ring of Honor at the Supercard of Honor 15 event. During his time in AEW/ROH, Joe has held the ROH World Television title, the TNT title twice, and the AEW World Championship.

During his interview with Chris Van Vliet, Joe says that he signed with AEW after being released from WWE for the second time due to Tony Khan being able to work around his schedule filming Twisted Metal, which he had just recently signed onto at the time.

Possible Retirement Timeframe

Kicking off his career in 1999, Joe has been wrestling for 25 years and counting, so the topic of retirement was brought up, and Joe admitted that he definitely has thought about it. His response was, "It's probably coming sooner than later". He talks about how wrestlers of his generation, for the most part, have been able to save up and don't want to outstay their welcome.

Chris Van Vliet asks if Joe has a definitive age that he plans to stop, mentioning wrestling in his 50s, which is only a few years away, and Joe claims it depends more on when his contract runs out. He does make a joke about how wrestling retirements never stick, but he does claim that he will only do this a little while longer.

This article first appeared on The Sportster and was syndicated with permission.

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