It’s official — Samoa Joe is back on WWE NXT as a wrestler, and he’ll face Karrion Kross for the NXT Championship at WWE NXT TakeOver 36.
On Tuesday night, Joe resigned as the enforcer of the black-and-gold brand, but general manager William Regal signed the contract to have him join the active roster. Then, as a result of Kross’ brutal attack on Regal last week, Joe received an NXT Championship match with “The Herald of Doomsday.”
"@WWEKarrionKross, you're too much of a gutless coward to be in the building… So, Mr. @RealKingRegal, will you join me in the ring now." – @SamoaJoe #WWENXT pic.twitter.com/cFNKsm0Q2P
— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) July 28, 2021
Joe hasn’t wrestled since February 10, 2020, when he competed in an eight-man tag team match on WWE RAW. He suffered a concussion shortly thereafter, and he has struggled to get medically cleared. He was shifted into a non-wrestling role on commentary before WWE released him on April 15, 2021. Joe re-signed with the company and made his return on the June 15 episode of WWE NXT, and the feud between Kross and Joe has been gradually building ever since.
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The official announcement from WWE’s website is as follows:
Consider him provoked.
Karrion Kross finally went too far, and Samoa Joe struck a deal with Mr. Regal to return to the ring to challenge the NXT Champion at NXT TakeOver 36.
Mr. Regal had originally brought Samoa Joe to the NXT management team to restore order following a chaotic NXT TakeOver: In Your House. The defiant Kross continued to run rampant over the black-and-gold brand, and an attack of Mr. Regal proved to be the final straw.
Can Samoa Joe go strike-for-strike with Kross and end his destructive reign? Or will Kross leave another decorated Superstar in his wake?
Don’t miss the two warriors collide for the NXT Title at NXT TakeOver 36 at 8 ET/5 PT on Sunday, Aug. 22, streaming exclusively on Peacock in the United States and WWE Network everywhere else.
