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Samoa Joe Reacts To AJ Styles Using His Finisher During Crown Jewel Match

Originally posted on Wrestling on SI
By Ethan Schlabaugh | Last updated Oct 15, 2025 5:00 PM ET

WWE Crown Jewel gave fans the final match-up between John Cena and AJ Styles, as they are retiring from professional wrestling relatively soon.

The action between the ropes left fans talking, as both men pulled out several references to wrestlers who have impacted their careers , such as Bray Wyatt, Christopher Daniels, Randy Orton, Samoa Joe, and many others.

Samoa Joe made a comment about AJ Styles using his coquina clutch finisher during his match with Cena, telling Rob Wolkenbrod of Forbes:

"I mean, it’s cool. It’s really, really cool. Obviously, I’m super flattered, but I think my friendship with AJ over the years has always been super duper strong. So, I mean, any tribute always pales in comparison to the phone calls and trash talk that usually happen anytime we get together."Samoa Joe, Forbes

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Joe continues on to say:

"So, yeah, I’m obviously more than honored and flattered. It’s good to know that your peers appreciate that sense, especially when it talks about the breadth of their career and what it means to them. I’m beyond honored—it's an awesome thing to see. I have unyielding amounts of respect for both men involved in that match, and I'm so happy that [Styles and John Cena] are getting their flowers."Samoa Joe, Forbes

Samoa Joe shared the ring with John Cena a few times during their WWE tenure together, while Styles and Joe have faced off numerous times throughout several different promotions.

Legends Like John Cena And AJ Styles Starting To Retire

While this was the last time that AJ Styles and John Cena will face off against each other, they aren't exactly done with their in-ring careers just yet. Cena will wrap up his career in December this year, while Styles will finish up sometime in 2026, most likely after WrestleMania as he hopes to be on the card.

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Both competitors are 48 years old, and their peers, such as Randy Orton, Adam Copeland, Frankie Kazarian, Samoa Joe, and more, are in their mid to late 40s and early 50s now. For many wrestling fans, the stars who main-evented shows from the early 2000s to the late 2010s are starting to hang up their boots (or sneakers in Cena's case).

That's not to say that some of those stars aren't going to keep competing for a few more years or so, but the thought of that generation of wrestlers being done is getting ever closer.

This article first appeared on Wrestling on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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