The WWE NXT brand went to Osaka, Japan today and took over, and it was there that Shinsuke Nakamura took his title back from Samoa Joe. The question is, will Joe now jump to the main roster? For some time the thought was that Samoa Joe would be on the main roster by the time WWE Survivor Series hit, then WWE had him win back the NXT Championship there and it seemed like he was destined to remain on NXT.
Now with Nakamura taking the title back, it makes sense to think that Samoa Joe will go on to his next chapter. There seems to be a lot of proof that he will jump soon, besides just the loss in Japan on Saturday. The speculation is on the side of Samoa Joe and his move as the rumors for months stated that once he concluded his rivalry with Nakamura he would be leaving NXT.
However, there is more to it according to Ringside News. Samoa Joe was not at the last set of NXT TV tapings, which were for the next three weeks of the show. It would be odd for the former champion to not be at the event if it was planned for him to remain on the program. Some could speculate that he was not there because they did not want to give away whether or not he was still champion or not.
[Image by WWE]
However, WWE could always add in a random interview after the event in Japan to the NXT program. They could even show the match during one of the broadcasts as well. That said, we may not be able to read too much into things. However, the biggest one may be what happened at the taping.
Bobby Roode won a number one contenders match, which meant he was set to take on whoever became champion in Japan. He is scheduled to work the NXT Takeover event that happens the night before The Royal Rumble. This means that Samoa Joe either gets a rematch on a taping next month, before The Rumble, or he’s completely done with NXT.
The expectation is that he will be on the main roster right around The Rumble period. Many speculate he will make his first main roster appearance in the Royal Rumble event itself. This would make sense mainly due to the event being a perfect set-up for new WWE Superstars to make a mark. AJ Styles made his first appearance with WWE at this past year’s Rumble event and now he’s very well going to enter the event as WWE World Heavyweight Champion.
[Image by WWE]
If the pattern sticks, Samoa Joe may very well become a major star in a short period of time on the main roster. The biggest question many would have is, which brand would he end up going to at the end of the day? Surely he would make an appearance at the Royal Rumble and be affiliated with a brand by then, right? Many believe while WWE RAW would give him the chance to work with a lot of great talent, WWE SmackDown Live would be the best place for him to end up.
This is not just because people like John Cena, Randy Orton, and AJ Styles are on the blue brand. The reason is simply because regardless of being heel or face, Samoa Joe would surely get a chance to do great things there. On RAW, he might very well be lost in the shuffle and it could end up costing him.
The blue brand is about opportunity and WWE knows they need more major names on the show. Samoa Joe could be a top face or heel and that is a big asset right away for the brand. SmackDown Live has always been about the right people getting the right opportunity and Joe would very well become a star there. Imagine the rivalries he could have as well.
[Featured Image By WWE]