Samoa Joe on His In-Ring Wrestling Career Future & Retirement Plans and How Old Adage in Wrestling Business of “You Can Either Make Money or Make Friends” Can Be Harmful to Wrestlers

CBS Sports held a recent interview with Samoa Joe. One of the topics discussed included Joe’s thoughts about the future of his in-ring wrestling career and potential retirement plans.

“You never want to outstay your welcome in this industry, and I have been fortunate that I have been able to be involved with it for over 25 years now. The other thing, too, is that many of us want to preserve what we can of our health for our later years.”

Joe also gave his thoughts about him not being sure if he wants his retirement match to be a special ceremonial thing.

“It might be a surprise. It might just be one day I’m gone and leave it at that. I’m not as ceremonial as everybody else. I like disappearing into the sunset. I’ve always been somebody who’s been firmly planted with my head toward the future and never tried to dwell too much in the past. And it’s kind of been my theory with the industry, too. I would hope we always look towards the future and not, obviously, appreciate the past, but not miss it too much.”

Joe also gave his thoughts about how he is not a believer of the old adage in the wrestling business that you can either make money or make friends and how he was able to do both during his wrestling career.

“I always laugh when I hear, ‘You can make money or you can make friends, but you can’t do both in wrestling.’ That is an asinine statement. I’ve made tons of friends and I’ve made tons of money.”

Joe also gave his thoughts about how that mindset can have potentially harmful and destructive effects on the wrestling companies they work for.

“More often than not, a lot of that selfishness may make you money, but generally, it leads to a lot of destruction and strife throughout the company. It can hurt a lot of things. It can close companies down. Let’s talk about the other side effects of this behavior. I’m more conscious because I came from a world where the industry was completely destroyed, and there wasn’t an opportunity for a man like me to make any money.

I had to collaborate with others to create systems and viability to make money in the industry and create new companies. Those new companies weren’t created in this backstabbing, everyone-for-themselves environment. They were created by a sum of great people, much like AJ Styles and me, coming together to create something better for the fans. This theory is based on what I’ve had to do my entire life and career… I’m going to continue with that despite what the drama merchants may want.”