Samoa Joe on Retirement Timeline For His In-Ring Wrestling Career “Still Not Quite Nailed Down”, His Belief The Technicality Of The Current Generation Of Wrestlers Is “A Lot Higher Than It’s Been”, & His Tribute To PAC

SHAK Wrestling held a recent interview with Samoa Joe. One of the topics discussed included Joe’s thoughts about him not having a timeline nailed down yet for his retirement from his in-ring wrestling career.

“I mean, really, just putting on meaningful, fun matches for the fans. I think trying to consistently give people something to tune in for and have a good time with. Listen, what my time frame is (for retirement) kind of still not quite nailed down, but I will say this. I want to leave as many good memories as I can while I have the opportunity, and I think that’s just kind of the best way to approach things right now.”

Joe also gave his thoughts about the in-ring technicality of the current generation of pro wrestlers being a lot higher and better than past generations.

“I think adaptability and coordination are way better than they’ve probably been in years. I think that you get a lot of people who have maybe more of a natural aptitude, but maybe less physical potential. I think that’s kind of the best way to put it, you’re finding people who are definitely- and I think you kind of see the same trend in MMA where it’s like, you know, in the lighter weight classes, you’re going to see a lot more technicality. You’re going to see a lot more skill. You’re probably going to get, you know, a bit closer matchups where, you know, guys can take a bit more punishment just along those weight classes. Whereas, you know, in the past, it being predominantly dominated by a more heavyweight style, you know, you saw less that proficiency. So I think just, you know, the technicality probably is a lot higher than it’s been.”

In a separate recent interview with Sports Illustrated’s The Takedown on SI, Joe also gave his thoughts about the passing of “PAC” Benjamin Satterley and his tribute to the life and legacy of Satterley.

“Ben was a guy that came up with a lot of us in that who we watched just have this meteoric rise internationally, probably from one of the most improbable places at the time when you think about the scene where there was actually people were getting exposure. But he was that good.

He was that good where, going from his work to Japan, even back in the States, everybody knew he was something special. Then you get the pleasure of meeting a guy like him and being his friend and kind of understanding the wonderful human being that he is.

If anything for us it’s just it’s it’s just a big empty hole. We really miss having him around. We miss having an excuse to see him every week is kind of what we say. It’s tough going back to work and not seeing him there.”

Transcript h/t: Fightful.com 1 & 2