Samoa Joe: Why Brock Lesnar WWE Feud Is One Of My Favourites

Back in June 2017, Samoa Joe and Brock Lesnar had a red hot feud over the Universal Championship. Joe earned the opportunity to face Lesnar at Extreme Rules and The Samoan Submission Machine wasted no time in going after the Universal Champion, choking out Paul Heyman the next night on Raw.

The feud only ramped up from there leading into Great Balls Of Fire, and while the in-ring action would ultimately underwhelm, only lasting six minutes before Lesnar picked up the win with one F5, the build made the match one of the most anticipated of the year. 

Samoa Joe reflected on his feud with Lesnar on Out Of Character with Ryan Satin and he revealed why he considers it one of his favourites. 

"I think, if you're in this industry, Brock is the type of match you should be seeking out. When you get into this industry, you should be gunning to work with the top, top guys. Brock was the top, top guy. When I was given the opportunity I did the very best to make the most of it every time I was in the ring with him. It's important. You've got to have a goalpost, a bar of excellence that you maintain, and it's easy like Brock, like Kurt Angle, like Roman. You push yourself because they push and, for me, it's a good symbiotic relationship because they're going to give as hard as they get, and vice versa," Joe said.

"Any time I get an opportunity to be in the ring with those types of performers - and Randy Orton - these are guys who are at the top of their game and do their best to push their opponents. There's a weird symbiosis where you start to produce some really, really great stuff," he continued.

"You've gotta keep that energy with Brock. You've got to match that intensity. You can't walk into this half-assed. Brock has no qualms about getting out there with everybody. I think the whole experience in general, the work I got to do with Paul - Heyman is a brilliant performer and any time I get into the ring with him and do what I do, it's always a pleasure. It was all of that. I rank the whole experience, not just the match, pretty high on my personal favourites of my career."

Joe now finds himself as William Regal's enforcer on NXT and the former United States Champion revealed how his WWE return came about, which you can read here. 

If you use any of the quotes in the article above, please credit Ryan Satin’s Out Of Character Podcast with a H/T to Cultaholic Wrestling for the transcription.