Across his career, Samoa Joe has come face-to-face in the ring with many of the industry’s biggest titans, both in name and stature. Among all of his opponents, however, Joe is able to identify one who stands out above the others: AJ Styles. Speaking at a Monopoly Events panel, Joe reflected on the impact of his TNA rivalry with the recently-retired performer.
“The easy answer to that is probably AJ Styles,” Joe said in response to a fan question about his favorite partner or opponent, leading to applause from the crowd. “[He’s] hopefully enjoying retirement, and feeling good and happy. It’s an easy choice. I mean, I think many performers in this industry, when they speak with the greats they’ve been able to work with, AJ’s name will not be far behind.”
This led to a fan shouting out for another match between the two, with Joe offering a shrug that appeared to show genuine ignorance to Styles’ future plans. Following that, Joe was asked if he has any dream matches left. The AEW star stated that he doesn’t have any personal opponents that he wants to wrestle, but there are people who the fans want to see him face, and he’d be happy to oblige.
“Will Ospreay, as soon as he’s good and healthy,” Joe responded. “I think we’d love to get down and see what it’s all about.”
Both Joe and Ospreay are currently dealing with the aftermath of injuries suffered in the ring. Joe has been out for several months with reports indicating that he was placed in concussion protocol; though his exact status hasn’t been made clear, Joe hinted that he’d be back soon. As for Ospreay, he’s been out since last summer with a neck injury, though AEW has started hyping his return in video packages.
If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit Monopoly Events and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.
Show: Wrestling Epicenter Guest “Big Al’ Alice Crowley Date: 03/14/2026 Your Host: James WalshWatch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/J4nmUyRheUQ”Yes, I’ve been around a while, but I’m still young! And, I know I’m young but I’m smart. I don’t like to ask people their age. But, there are people around that are a little older that should probably know better. (laughs)””Well, you know, when you’re a kid, and I’m still a kid at leat in my head. (laughs) It felt real and it was like an escape. I know that is how it si for most people. I’ve always been an athletic person. Always active. Can’t stand still! ADHD might play a factor in that! (laughs) But, I was always an active kid. Well, my parents took me to a show to see my cousin’s friend, his name is Jawaan Thomas, wrestle at a place called WCWO. We started going to these shows and it wasn’t like a once in a while thing. We were going once a week every single week for like a year. And, it got to where I didn’t just want ti sit there and watch the show – I wanted to be on the show! So, my dad talked to Jawaan and Jawaan talked to the promoter. And, I started training… And, we didn’t actually have to pay for training. Now, that could have been because he was a creepy old man! (laughs) But, that got my foot in the door and I got to meet some really cool people. Those really cool people got me into some other places. And, well, now I’m here! I’m working for the Juggalos!””Yeah, I’d go to school beat up. Some, I’m sure, thought I was getting beaten up at home. But, I was like, “No, guys. I wrestle!” Some of them made fun of me for that. Others thought I was cool because of it. But, they wouldn’t say that out loud or in front of anybody. You know what I mean? But now, some of the ones that made fun of me, they’re hitting me up and they think it is cool now! Sometimes it just takes people some time to figure out what is cool!””Yes, 100%. I talk to people and I know that I’m older when it comes to being in wrestling. But, when it comes to our ages, usually that person is older than me. Usually, it is a lot harder for someone that is older than me to accept that even though I’m younger, I am the veteran. Then there are other situations that even though I am the vet, I end up being the one who ends up listening. That is fine too. Because, I still learn! You can learn from so many different people in wrestling. Even though I might be the veteran, I don’t go around acting like I’m the veteran either. Like, of course when you’re wrestling someone, you’re going to ask how long they’ve been wrestling. I’ll tell them how long I’ve been wrestling. But, I don’t take a “vet role.” That’s just not me.””That’s just me. It’s all me. You know, it is the me that I would show to my parents and my sisters behind closed doors. Just take the doors off! (laughs)””I got it for Christmas one year when I was 10 or 11. I didn’t ask for it. But, my dad is a unique person. He likes weird things. So, it was one of those random things he picked up and probably thought, “I wonder if one of my daughters would ride a unicycle.” Well, I was the one that did. My sisters tried. They picked it up and fell off. But, that’s just not me. I was going to figure that out. How many people do you know that can ride a unicycle? Maybe one and that is me! It took me about a month to pick up… Maybe a little less. I would ride it around my neighborhood… My parents wouldn’t let me go too far. But, I’d ride it around the blocks and people would look at me like I was a little funny. But, literally, I would ride, and they (parents) would follow me. But, I would ride it for like a mile!””My experience WAS that! That is how we trained! They literally gave us pool noodles and had us slap each other in the face with it! At the UFC Apex Center, that is how we trained!””My dad and I would watch the Super Slap when it just started. We would sit there, sometimes for hours, and watch that and laugh. One day, I said I wanted to do that. And, Circle 6, they were doing a bar room show and I wanted to do a Slap Fight thing. It fell through. It never happened. Well, Power Slap came up. Dani Mo told me about it, She mentioned me to Sinn Bodhi. I said I was interested and within like a couple of hours, Sinn Bodhi sent me my travel information. Like I said, there really was no way to practice. We used the pool noodles. I went home and I worked out and put on some muscle. And, then, when it was time to fight and time to get slapped for real… I have never been hit that hard in my life! Ever, ever, ever! But, I wasn’t going to show it! (laughs) I would totally do it again! It didn’t feel good. But, I would totally do it again!””They found me! (laughs) I ended up working the first three episodes against Dani Mo. She ended up winning the belt. And, I ended up not working for them at all for a little while. Like, months. Then, I got a call and it was Violent J. He was like, “We want to start using you consistently.” I was like, “Really?” What was I going to do? Tell him no? I was like, “Hell yeah! Tell me when! I’m coming!” And, literally, it was like, right after Vince (Russo)… I started traveling with them every show. I love working here!””I, personally, love working with Vince. I am able to talk to him one on one. He’s able to give me pointers on my promos. And, honestly, there is a side of me that I didn’t even realize whas a character that I could open up until he came. It is like, yeah, I know who I am. And, I can talk to people like I am now with you. And, things just fly off the tongue. But, I didn’t understand how to do that in promos. With Vince, he’s like, “You and I are going to have a conversation. And, this is what we’re going to talk about. Then, they stick cameras in front of us, we do it, and it is perfect I am like, “Hell yeah!” I wasn’t able to do that when I first got there (JCW). It took time. ANd, I really believe working with him helped me grow and understand my character.””I watch the shows back! You should! Like, we do the promos before our match, and you never really know how the promo looks or comes out until you watch it. Sometimes we do promos before our match and they upload them after your match. It really helps you see the strengths and weaknesses of your character and what you need to improve on by watching the finished product and figuring out what you else you can do. Watching it back has really helped me understand my character.””Hell yeah! And with Vince, it was going to. The matches could go 20 minutes or it could be a minute long match. All the characters, they have layers! You have to pay attention!””Oh this woman! (laughs) She’s a sweetheart. She is a sweetheart! But, don’t catch her! Don’t catch her! It doesn’t matter if she knows you… If you catch her in the locker room… She is her character 24/7! She can be a sassy, sassy lady! Very, very mean! (laughs) But, then, you talk to her and she’s a very sweet. But, you can tell. She doesn’t take shit from anyone. I vibe with her. I get her. I vibe with her very, very well!””He’s amazing! He’s the guy. He’s amazing in his promos. He’s amazing in the ring. Those who watch the shows, he’s the guy people talk about afterwards. He’s the most important member of the roster right now.””I love Dani! She’s one of the reasons I was able to go to Power Slap. She mentioned to me that she was doing it. She mentioned me to Sinn Bodhi. And, it all happened while on a JCW tour. So, without JCW, none of it would have happened! She’s helped me from day one! She’s also one of the reasons I was brought back to JCW. They asked her who she likes to work with and she mentioned my name. And now I’m here! And now I’m working with her! And, I’m making money that I wouldn’t have made before!””Absolutely. YouTube is great. But, I absolutely think it would be great to get JCW Lunacy on broadcast television! I mean, if you watch the show, you can see it. You can feel the momentum. You can literally see it growing!””When I started, my goal was to make enough money to where I could live off of pro wrestling. I’ve now done that! My next goal is I want to be on TV! I want to be on television!””I’m gonna get my belt back! (laughs) I’m going to get my belt back!”
WWE production veteran Davey Coates has sadly passed away, prompting an outpouring of tributes from across the wrestling industry.
Coates was a longtime member of WWE’s production team and served as the company’s international touring manager. In that role he helped coordinate WWE’s global tours and played a key part in ensuring events around the world ran smoothly. According to Triple H, he was also instrumental in helping keep NXT UK operating during the challenges presented by the COVID 19 pandemic.
Following the news of his passing, many within WWE and the wider wrestling community took to social media to honor his contributions and share memories.
WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H paid tribute to Coates and reflected on the important role he played behind the scenes.
“Learned of the sad news of Davey Coates passing. Davey was @WWE’s international touring manager and was largely responsible for making all international shows, large and small happen. He ensured our wrestling rings got to the most remote corners of the world, our backstage ran smoothly and always took great care and personal pride in assisting our NXT UK talent at the ‘UK Performance Centre.’”
Triple H also shared a personal memory connected to Coates.
“Davey sent me this photo some years ago, another memory from an international tour 30 years ago… The thoughts of our crew, our talent and the entire WWE family are with his family today. See ya down the road, Davey. Catch you at the next gig.”
WWE Raw General Manager Adam Pearce also reflected on Coates’ impact and the legacy he leaves behind.
“Godspeed, Davey Coates. Another absolute legend behind the scenes who tirelessly worked for decades to bring @wwe to the globe. I can’t say enough about his passion and dedication. I’m honored to have worked with him and shared countless laughs along the way. My heart goes out to his friends, family, and all touched by this loss. Rest well, sir.”
Former NXT UK Tag Team Champion Brooks Jenson remembered Coates fondly from his time working in the brand.
“RIP Davey Coates
Always appreciated you taking care of Briggs, Fallon, and myself back in NXT UK and thank you for not only your contribution to the WWE but to also being one of kindest human beings in this world”
British wrestling standout Dave Mastiff also paid tribute.
“RIP Davey Coates, a true diamond of a human being. Thank you for your dedication and hard work. More importantly thanks for the trust, the friendship and the stories.”
Former WWE UK ring announcer Kirsty Bosley shared a personal story highlighting Coates’ kindness behind the scenes.
“On my first week at WWE, when the fans had left, despite having one of the most labour intensive and mentally complex workloads in the whole business, Davey Coates made sure to hunt me down to hand me a special non-alcoholic cocktail he’d whipped up to celebrate wrapping.”
William Regal, who spent many years touring with Coates during WWE’s international events, shared an emotional message reflecting on their friendship.
“I’m beyond deeply saddened to hear my close friend and colleague Davey Coates has passed. We’ve been on tour with WWE for 20+ years in over 20 countries. We shared the same interests in British sub cultures and music. We laughed harder than anyone has the right to. We’ve shared our closest moments that we couldn’t tell anyone else. We both knew that we had charmed lives because of our work that we would never of had without it and both could have ended up going down a wrong path in our teens and later life. My deepest condolences to Henry and Davey’s friends and family. I’ll miss you forever.x”
Coates’ work behind the scenes helped make WWE’s international events possible for decades, and his impact was clearly felt by the many colleagues and performers who worked alongside him.
One of the unsung heroes of @WWE sent me this photo from South Africa in 1996. Davey Coates helps manage our global tours and was absolutely vital in keeping @NXTUK running through the pandemic. 25+ years of hard work, miles traveled and great friendship. To 25 more!!! #ThankYou pic.twitter.com/A5LXYFkFTh
Mark Henry shared strong praise for Randy Orton heel turn on Cody Rhodes. During the March 13 episode of WWE SmackDown, Orton attacked Cody Rhodes after their contract signing for the Undisputed WWE Championship match at WrestleMania 42. Henry called this moment the return of the dangerous Viper persona that made Orton one of wrestling’s most feared stars. He appeared on Busted Open After Dark to explain why the segment stood out.
Henry asked fans to think about the last time a contract signing felt this intense. “When was the last time you saw a contract signing that was as compelling as the one we just got?” Henry said on the show. “It made sense.” He described the buildup step by step. Orton avoided eye contact with Rhodes during an emotional speech. “Randy could not look at Cody. He turned his back. I knew right then that there was some kind of conflicted feeling in Randy,” Henry said. “Randy got ready to say something. His voice was broken, because he knew in his mind what was going on and what was about to play out. Cody still didn’t get it. Cody was blinded by ‘that’s my boy.’”
After the attack, Orton sat in the ring with the title on his lap. Henry loved the visual of Orton staring into the camera without words. “He looks straight up at the camera as if he’s looking at the fans and not saying nothing. He’s saying an awful lot with his eyes, with one head nod. He’s like, ‘You get it. This is how bad I want to be champion. I will sacrifice my boy in order to be champion again,’” Henry said. “Heavy duty s**t. Masterful.”
Henry believes the heel turn came at the right time for WWE. He expressed frustration with too much friendly behavior in wrestling. “I’m tired of all the tree hugging, the kissing on the cheek, the bowing to your competitor,” he said. “I competed in two Olympic Games, multiple National Championships, World Championships. I never bowed to no man.” He linked it to his own success as a heel. “As much as I love being Mr. USA, as much as I love being Sexual Chocolate, as much as I love being the World’s Strongest Man – you know where I made the most money? In the Nation of Domination, kicking people’s ass. In the Hall of Pain,” Henry said. “The people wanted to see me run people through cages, throw heavy items on people. That’s what I want from Randy.”
Older wrestling figures will enjoy this change more, Henry noted. “Bob Orton, the older guys, Jesse Ventura – I bet you he is laughing his ass off right now, because they respect the gangster,” he said. “They respect the guy that knows he could be good, but he chooses to be bad because it pays well, and chicks dig scars.” He warned fans how to approach the new Randy Orton. “Don’t trust him. Don’t turn your back on him. Don’t hug him. Don’t reach to shake his hand. Don’t ask for acknowledgement. Fear him and treat him like he’s gonna punch you at any moment,” Henry said.
The co-host mentioned Orton’s history with the Rhodes family, including punting Dusty Rhodes in 2007 as the Legend Killer. This attack brings that story full circle ahead of WrestleMania 42. Orton also shoved Jelly Roll and Nick Aldis during the chaos, making him seem more unpredictable. “You push Nick Aldis down, you push Jelly Roll down, and you sit there and you become unpredictable. You become the Viper,” Henry said.
The Randy Orton heel turn on Cody Rhodes adds fresh energy to WWE programming. WrestleMania 42 happens April 18-19 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, with Rhodes defending the title against Orton in a main event match.
Last year, WWE star Piper Niven suffered a serious neck injury that’s kept her out of action since September. The injury is said to be so severe that there’s a chance she may never return to the ring, though Niven recently offered a hopeful update on her condition, indicating that it is still possible. Chelsea Green is a close friend of Niven’s, both onscreen and off in WWE, and Green shared her thoughts on Niven’s absence during a recent interview with “The Ghost of Hollywood.”
“We obviously – Alba [Fyre] and I – are missing Piper so much,” Green said. “I feel like she’s a connective tissue between all of us. She’s such a mother figure, but also so fun and playful, and she’s so easy-going. So we really, really miss her, but she’s at home, she’s resting with her husband and her dogs and her cats, and I feel like when she comes back, she’s not only gonna be healed physically but also emotionally and mentally.”
Green pointed out how taxing professional wrestling can be on the mind and body, and shared her belief that Niven has poured her heart and soul into the industry, which doesn’t come without a cost. As unfortunate as the injury may be, Green believes that Niven will benefit from having a break, as she hadn’t really slowed down for quite some time. Based on her words, Green seems confident that Niven will return to pro wrestling in some form.
With Niven out, Green has been joined by Fyre as the latest member of the “Secret Hervice,” as Green calls her group. The wrestler stated that she, Fyre, and Niven all have shared history that goes back to their time working in Japan a decade ago, which Green said makes their current working environment better than she thought possible.
If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit “The Ghost of Hollywood” and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.
