An AEW wrestler has been sidelined from television appearances recently as seen during the All on Texas pay-per-view event. On July 12th, OPPS (consisting of Horse Su, Powerhouse Hobbs, and Samoa Joe) overcame the Death Rider team (Claudio Castagnoli and Wheeler Utah) along with Gabe Kid. Following the match, Death Rider and Kid retaliated by attacking with chairs, resulting in Samoa Joe being carried out on a stretcher.
According to Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer, Samoa Joe is stepping away from AEW for a while to promote the new season of the Twisted Metal TV series, which is based on a popular video game. The second season of Twisted Metal will premiere on Peacock starting July 31st. Samoa Joe will reprise his role as Sweet Tooth, with Will Arnett continuing as the character’s voice.
In addition, Meltzer revealed that Will Ospreay, who got hurt during the main event, was already dealing with an injury and currently has no return date, leading to his absence from AEW programming.
Samoa Joe, part of the reigning AEW World Trios Champions and a former two-time TNT Champion, has had a notable career as a World Champion in the company.
Fan Take: This news is significant for AEW fans as it highlights the impact of external projects on wrestlers’ in-ring availability, potentially affecting storylines and match dynamics. Samoa Joe’s absence for promotional duties, coupled with Ospreay’s injury, creates opportunities for new talent to shine but also challenges the continuity of AEW’s championship scenes.
