I tremendously enjoyed my journey in professional wrestling, and I wouldn't want to trade a time or a place, even the low times, because it was those things that kind of tempered me and forged me and pushed me ahead to be here now.
— Samoa Joe
I think our sport evolves as the talent evolves and the mindset evolves.
In WWE, they're real big on letting you sink or swim, and they let you go out there, and they're going to give you the stick and a live mic in front of a packed house and millions watching at home, and if you're not prepared for that moment, you're going to go down in flames.
I've had the opportunity to wrestle Daniel Bryan through several phases of his career, except for his time in WWE. What I remember is that he was great the first time I wrestled him, and he kept getting better every match afterward.
I believe in simplicity. Where some people in TNA take the high-flying back flip route, I'll replace that with a punch or a nice kick square to the face.
I'm a pretty big gamer.
I've always been aware of what I've been able to do and my ability to bring interest to a match and make people want to tune in and see.
Obviously, when you come to WWE, the level of spectacle and production in what we do is far and above anywhere else I worked, so it's kind of cool to be a part of the big show now.
My first remit when I came to WWE was to help build up NXT as a global brand. It was a mission that I took on fully and was more than willing to attack, and lo and behold, here we are.
I think when you are dealing with Brock Lesnar, you have to show up ready to deal with Brock Lesnar. Brock is the type of guy who is not going to give you an inch. If you are going to get anything from him, you have to take it, and he's going to dare you to take it.
NXT was at a really exciting place and transforming in and of itself, and I find it's always good to be around that kind of environment and those kinds of companies. It just felt right. It was a good fit.
Intimidation is an unusual animal: it's a lot about body language and understanding the human psyche. Knowing that usually a direct stare will crush most human souls, and that's just the basic gist of it... The soul-crushing stare, the fatherly disappointment, mixed with a little bit of hate and rage - you're on your way.
Anytime you're sitting there writing a book about yourself, it's a pretty self-fulfilling prophecy, I guess.
It's always a benefit to have the fans kind of salivating at the thought of your debut, of you changing over brands.
I think martial arts, in general, shaped my wrestling style. I think I grew up as a martial artist as a kid.
I worked for my family's Polynesian dance troupe for my entire life up until I started wresting full time.
I think part of my journeys here and the places I was able to be at and the styles of wrestling I was able to experience and the friendships and just the world experience that I garnered before I came here to WWE helped me tremendously when I got here.
I've always made my opportunities, I've never been one to wait for them and sit around waiting for something to happen. I've always sought them out.
WWE is very good at doing things that are advantageous. If you have the ability to go out there and get on a mic and be captivating, then they're going to do everything in their power to support that ability and make it even bigger and seem better.
It's a surreal experience when you're working with guys like Scott Steiner, Kevin Nash, and Sting. They were guys that I grew up watching, and I saw the heights that they achieved.
There is definitely a Japanese influence on my style. I spent several years back and forth training over there, training at the New Japan Dojo in Los Angeles and picking up various techniques from wherever I go.
I'm a big believer in the idea that one of the greatest advantages we have here in the United States is freedom of expression and freedom of speech. You should be able to say whatever you want, and I firmly believe that.
If anything, I feel like I like to be ambitious.
If I do foray more into writing comic books, I definitely would hope that my acceptance is based more on my ability to write than my ability to schmooze my way in as a celebrity.
I was fortunate that I was born in an era where comic books kind of grew up with me.
Myself, there's people saying, 'He'll never find himself in the halls of WWE.' It's a narrative that's fueled more by secondhand fan myth than what people feel.
After I made my initial debut at NXT 'TakeOver,' they looked at the interest and merchandise sales and decided I would be better signed full time than not.
I think, for an artist, when you're drawing somebody who actually exists, it's a much steeper critical curve, as there is an actual representation of that person out there. You can't just interpret it any way you want.
I think when it comes to comics, I've been a lifelong comic book fan.
Seeing myself as a champion in WWE is something I've seen from the first day I stepped into the Universe and the realm of the company.
I think something that escapes a lot of people is my entire career... I call myself the 'often unwanted' because when I got to Ring of Honor, I was told it was supposed to be one-off deal.
If you were to ask me would I change anything or could I go back to the past and change anything, I really wouldn't.
I think the biggest thing is kind of working everywhere and working with different people that, when I did walk through the door at WWE and looked around, I didn't really feel that out of place because every second face I looked at is somebody I've known for over a decade or worked with or I've been around in some capacity in the industry.
It's funny how many people that I've come across in my time that have gone on to achieve great success.
I had always been involved in athletics throughout my life.
If there's a game that comes out, I've pretty much got it, played it, and it's sitting here in my room.
You may not like the way I deliver the truth - you may take umbrage with the way I handle most of my conflicts - but that's the way I do business.
I think, in general, when you talk about great wrestling towns in the history of the world, I think Memphis kind of shoots up there into the top three if not the top two.
In reality, you just don't see many Samoan artists. Culturally, it's just not something that's really emphasized much - at least, hand-drawn art.
Anybody who has wanted me to go out there and pull some emotion out and act like we are going to get down, that's what I specialize in. That's fine. That's something that I do, and that's something that I've done over the breadth of my career. With Brock Lesnar, regardless of who he is, it was going to be no different.
Talent is one of the few things that can't be created. It can be enhanced - it can be coached and brought out of people - but you can't deny it.
I relish any chance to punch A.J. Styles in the face, because he's a man I respect greatly. And I find that I want to punch people in the face that I respect greatly. I like to say it's an island thing, but it's not: it' just something that I like doing.
Mike Mulipola is a fantastic artist.
I don't care where you go or what company you work for - and I've pretty much worked for them all - WWE by far is the most brutal road schedule in the world. It takes a special kind of individual to navigate that and be able to thrive in that environment. It's a challenge that I've enjoyed.
I come in with the highest goals in mind whenever I approach anything.
Shinsuke - he is by far one of the best competitors in the world. It is no surprise to me that he found his way to WWE.
