Samoa Joe on his storied independent career, coming to NXT and his plans for the future

Samoa Joe recently spoke to WWE's website about his arrival at NXT, getting into wrestling, Ring of Honor, Seth Rollins, CM Punk, Daniel Bryan and more. Below are a few highlights:

WWE.COM: You’ve been in some independent locker rooms lately. What’s the reputation NXT has outside of WWE?

JOE: The reputation NXT has is hard to describe. It’s this newness, there’s a tremendous hype to it. People are seeing the leaps and bounds that are being made with the types of talent filtering through NXT. Like the women, I watched one of the best matches I’ve seen all year with Becky Lynch and Sasha Banks [at NXT TakeOver: Unstoppable]. There’s a lot of hype and I know a lot of guys now on the indies would like to see themselves in NXT. They don’t view it as a B-level, AAA ball club. They see it as an exciting place that people are talking about and love the matches coming out of NXT.

WWE.COM: Is there anyone else [besides Kevin Owens] in NXT you have your eye on?

JOE: Absolutely. Finn Bálor is someone I’ve had experience with. I helped start the New Japan Dojo in Los Angeles. I remember seeing him and what he was able to do. And now, he’s No. 1 contender, so if it’s not going to be Kevin, it’s going to be [Bálor]. Tyler Breeze is a tremendous athlete, but he’s far too pretty. It bugs me. Eventually, when he comes back, Hideo Itami, too. We’ve locked up over the years and had our fair share of wars. I’m more than happy to have another with him. There are a lot of unresolved personal issues there. Hopefully, we can get into the ring and sort them out.

WWE.COM: Beyond the NXT Title, do you have any other goals in WWE?

JOE: At some time, I would love to make a trip up to the main roster and wreak my brand of havoc. So many people I’ve come up with have succeeded in WWE. Though I thought the opportunity would never present itself, I’m here now. I’m in the best shape of my career and I’m more than happy to fulfill the destiny that has eluded me for far too long, and that’s to be the WWE World Heavyweight Champion.

Full interview

Kevin Owens Talks Developing A Relationship With Triple H, Importance Of John Cena Match, RAW Debut

The Whig has a good interview with Kevin Owens, who talked about facing John Cena at Elimination Chamber this Sunday. Below are a few highlights:

Debuting on RAW a couple of weeks ago:

"It felt great. It was a surreal moment. Really surreal. (It was) something I've waited for for so long."

Working with Triple H:

"I feel like I've developed a bit of a relationship with Hunter throughout these last few months. It goes beyond the ring. We'll talk about our kids, we'll talk about life. He's very good to me. To have him take time out of a very busy day, he's busy on Raw, and he took the time to tell me to just make sure you are who you are. And I know that's kind of the advice he gives everyone, but to hear it from him, it really means something because 'Make sure you stay who you are' means that who I am, he's got faith in. That's a big thing."

How big his match with John Cena is this Sunday at Elimination Chamber:

"There's no denying how big it is. There's not a whole lot of people that walk into WWE, show up on Raw, lay out the top guy in the industry for the last 10 years and get to wrestle him two weeks later at a major event like Elimination Chamber, but I get to do that. That will literally never be taken away from me, no matter what happens from here on out."

WWE NXT Takeover: Unstoppable Results

Main Event Announced for the Next WWE NXT Live Takeover Special, Date of the Special Revealed

WWE is currently holding a set of NXT TV tapings at Full Sail University, and it was announced during the tapings that the next live NXT Takeover special will happen on May 20th at Full Sail University.

It was also announced at tonight’s NXT tapings that the main event of the special will be Kevin Owens (c) vs Sami Zayn for the NXT Title.

Recap of WWE NXT at San Jose State University

WWE NXT held their biggest event yet on Friday night at San Jose State University with between 4,500 and 5,000 fans in attendance. Thanks to Ryan Aziz and Corey Montgomery for the following results:

* JoJo sang the National Anthem and even before that there was a crazy buzz in the air. The crowd was fired up and ready to go. Corey Graves came in the ring to kick off the show but was met with "you f--ked up" chants because his mic didn't work. Graves talked about how far NXT has come and got a chant going.

* Hideo Itami defeated Tyler Breeze in the opener after GTS. This was an awesome match, maybe it was just the setting but this was a lot better than their recent TV matches. The crowd was chanting for GTS early on and Itami went for it during the match, finally nailing it after a big corner dropkick. Itami got the win and was really fired up feeding off the crowd.

* Jason Jordan defeated Bull Dempsey after an Exploder suplex. Dempsey got decent heel heat for this entrance and controlled most of the match. Jordan looked alright in the ring but he didn't get much of a reaction at all.

* Alexa Bliss and Bayley defeated Dana Brooke and Becky Lynch in a great Divas bout. Bayley came out to a huge hometown reaction that carried on. Bayley hit her suplex on Becky for the win and had a pretty big celebration after the match. She was interviewed by Greg Hamilton I believe it was and called it the coolest night of her life. Becky Lynch was really impressive in this match and played the heel role well.

* Solomon Crowe defeated Kalisto by submission with a Stretch Muffler. They did a lot of back and forth wrestling and a lot of mat wrestling but it was done well. They eventually made their way to the ropes and the floor. Crowe blocked a splash and put Kalisto into the Muffler for the win. Crowe also got a good reaction.

* Baron Corbin defeated Rhyno with End of Days. Rhyno got a huge pop when he came out and ECW chants. They brawled like two big men should after Corbin got warmed up. Rhyno finally went for the Gore but Corbin countered and hit End of Days. Corbin turned around after the match to a Gore from Rhyno to another big pop. The crowd really loved Rhyno as he was not advertised before.

* Intermission

* Corey Graves comes out and introduces Triple H, who gets a massive reaction and "thank you" chants. Triple H is clearly having fun. Triple H called NXT the hottest thing in town and said everyone from Vince McMahon to Shawn Michaels to Sean Waltman, Stephanie McMahon and others are backstage watching. He also pointed out Jim Ross in the front row and JR's name got a massive pop, way bigger than Vince and the others. He praised NXT as the future and got another big NXT chant going.

* WWE NXT Tag Team Champions defeated Enzo Amore & Big Cass and The Vaudevillians in an Elimination Match. Carmella, Enzo and Cass got a reaction that rivaled that of Rhyno and Itami, their schtick is over like crazy. All three teams worked well and played their roles with the crowd really well. That's one of the best parts about NXT is just about everyone seems to connect in some way. Big Cass pinned one of The Vaudevillians and they were eliminated first. Carmella then tried to get involved but it backfired and Cass got hit with a cheap shot while he checked on her.

* WWE NXT Women's Champion Sasha Banks defeated Charlotte by submission with the Bank Statement. The crowd has stayed hot all night but cranked it up a notch for these Divas. They chanted "this is wrestling" and "this is awesome" more than once. Lots of back and forth action several times but Charlotte's babyface comebacks were really cool. Sasha broke a pair of Figure Fours and they traded several pin attempts before Sasha dropped Charlotte into the Bank Statement and made her tap out. This was an amazing match, like Natalya vs. Charlotte. It's hard to do justice with words but hopefully this becomes available somewhere in the near future. Charlotte got a "thank you Charlotte" chant after the match.

* Sami Zayn came out to a big pop and a chant. He admitted he ha some health issues that aren't too serious but he's not cleared to compete. He talks about the NXT revolution until NXT Champion Kevin Owens interrupts on the stage. Owens cuts a promo on Sami and then the fans after they give him the "what?" treatment. Owens brags about taking Sami's title and they had more words. Sami took credit for Owens even being in NXT. They teased a fight but Owens backed off and mentioned his own recent surgery. Sami promised to get the NXT Title back once Owens is cleared. With both of them injured, they made the best of things and pulled off a really good promo segment.

* Finn Balor came out in full body paint for the main event against Adrian Neville and got a "holy s--t" chant from the crowd, who was still hot. There was a better than WrestleMania chant at one point and many other chants as they tore the house down. Balor ended up moving out of the way of Red Arrow and hitting the big stomp for the win.

WWE NXT Champion Undergoes Knee Surgery

WWE.com is reporting NXT Champion Kevin Owens underwent a partial meniscectomy for a knee injury he sustained late last week. Owens issued the following comment in the report:

“I’m not the kind of person that lets things like this get in my way. I’m already walking around without crutches and doing physical therapy at the WWE Performance Center.”

“Now that I’m at the level I am now, and with as much at stake as there is, I don’t think it’s going to slow me down. I’m on the way back.”

Backstage Jealousy Between Triple H and Bill Demott, Which NXT Superstar is in the Middle of This?

There are certain stories that have begun to have some light shed on it regarding Bill Demott, Triple H and current NXT Champion Kevin Owens.

Bill Demott was the agent for the Owens vs. CJ Parker match at NXT R-Evolution and was said to be unhappy with how the match went.

Demott was heard being upset with how the match was finalized and booked, including Owens doing a flip from the ring to the floor.

Demott reportedly complained to Triple H about the match and Triple H just said to let Owens do what he wants.

This led to a lot of jealousy and heat from many in the company, especially since most of the talent is managed under a microscope and told not to wrestle “indie style.”

Kevin Owens Talks About His NXT Debut, Working With Triple H

Alex Obert of JourneyofaFrontman.com is featuring an interview with WWE NXT star Kevin Owens where he talks about making his NXT debut back in December and what it is like working with Triple H in developmental in Orlando.

On what he was thinking just before his NXT debut:

"I wish I could tell you exactly what I was thinking about, but there were so many things going through my mind. I thought a lot about my family because they got me to the point. It sounds really corny because it seems like that’s what people would say when there’s a big moment in their lives. I thought about my kid, my parents and my wife. I remember at one point, I stopped midway through the ramp before I got in the ring and I clearly remember having a flash of running to the ring in my first match. It was just such a culmination. It’s always been my dream. It’s really hard to describe how memorable that was."

On working with Triple H in WWE:

"All I can say is that Triple H is literally the most dedicated man in sports entertainment, nobody works as hard as he does. I only see glimpses of it when he’s at the NXT tapings and the specials, but he’s always available for ideas. We were talking about what I was gonna do and how I was gonna be presented, he was very hands-on. It’s not just me, he’s got his finger on the pulse of everything we do here. And we do a lot of stuff, there’s seventy people here and he keeps track of everyone. I don’t know when he sleeps, I don’t know when he works out, but he’s alive and he’s in great shape. From what I can tell, he’s a machine. His dedication is really something to behold. I’m lucky to have somebody like him willing to work with me, just like everybody else I mentioned earlier. He’s another great mind who knows so much more more about this than I do and he’s willing to share it with me and share it with anybody who wants the knowledge. It’s pretty awesome."

He also noted the extreme difference in how segments are produced in WWE, and how much time and effort go into planning even the shortest of vignettes.

“The vignettes are thirty seconds to a minute.. I think it took three to four hours to shoot all the stuff … There’s so many creative minds working together to make this special. I was really lucky, I can’t overstate that enough. Chris Chambers, Christopher Watts, Brian Kunsman, Ryan Katz and Bill DeMott, they were all helping me and gave great suggestions like “Do this. Do that. Turn your head this way.” It’s all intricate stuff it’s stuff that I’ve never done. Ring of Honor had TV, but nothing like this.”

Seth Rollins Talks Curb Stomping Lesnar & Cena, Triple H Following His Progress, NXT, Taker, Savage

Seth Rollins joined The Rack this past Thursday Night. During the interview, Rollins discussed what it was like to be in the ring and curb stomping both Brock Lesnar and John Cena on RAW, his thoughts on Smackdown moving to Thursdays, who is he looking forward to working with from NXT in the future, what it was like working with The Undertaker, Randy Savage being inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015 and more. They sent us the highlights below, you can listen to the full interview by clicking here.

What it's like working with both Triple H and Stephanie McMahon on TV weekly:

"Oh, they're phenomenal; two of the greatest mind in the history of our industry. You've got one, born and bred a McMahon so she knows all there is to know about what we do and she knows all the little tricks of the trade. She sees things from a completely different perspective, so you have that. On the other hand, you have 'The Cerebral Assassin', a man who's been WWE Champion multiple times, who is clearly the heir-apparent to the company itself and already running the ship for the most part. There are really no better mentors; if you're not learning something every single day, every single time you go out there, then you're really just making a mistake trying to progress yourself. If people have kept track over the past 6-8 months, they'll have noticed a lot of improvements in my game, at least I have, and a lot of that is due to having Triple H and Stephanie on my side, nurturing me all the way through."

Triple H following his progress through NXT, The Shield and now:

"Yeah, clearly, the man has an eye for talent, you know? It's been good; NXT was a good experience for me. We were really the first group of guys who were involved in that project and if you look at what it's become now, it's pretty impressive to think about where it started and how it began, very humbly, in a warehouse in Tampa and now, basically, it's its own brand. To have Triple H's support, through and through the entire way, has meant more to me than people will ever understand. It's really helped position me to where I want to be and helped me grow as a person and as a performer."

Is there anyone in the new crop of NXT talent that he's looking forward to facing in the future:

"I have a lot of friends down there; a lot of people who I traveled the road with in my previous life and I think those guys, the Adrian Nevilles and Sami Zayns, Finn Balor, Hideo Itami, Kevin Overs; these are the guys obviously making a name for themselves now in NXT. There's also a lot of young guys too, who are pushing the envelope as well, really trying to make a name for themselves in the shadow, a little bit, of some of those bigger names.

"You've got someone like CJ Parker, who's been down in NXT for a while making waves. You've got Tyler Breeze, who is on the cusp of something big and stuff like that. So, there's a lot of talent down there; I'm looking forward to seeing how the landscape up here in the WWE looks like in 2-5 years, with all of those names I mentioned, up here working with us. It's going to be a very interesting period for the future of WWE."

Big WWE Experience Event Announced For Arnold Sports Festival With NXT, WWE Legends, More

As noted, WWE will host a NXT live event during the Arnold Sports Festival weekend in Columbus, Ohio in early March. There will be a strong WWE presence at this year's Arnold Festival as WWE Experience has been announced. Below are the details:

WWE Experience at the Arnold Sports Festival

WWE Universe, don't miss your chance to take part in the WWE Experience at the Arnold Sports Festival March 5-8, 2015, in Columbus, Ohio!

NXT Live Event
For the first time in WWE history, NXT comes to Columbus, Ohio, as part of the Arnold Sports Festival! See WWE's Superstars of tomorrow, as WWE presents NXT Live at the LC Pavilion on Thursday, March 5! See NXT Champion Sami Zayn, NXT Women's Champion Charlotte, WWE Superstars Ryback and Big Show, WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair, Adrian Neville, Kevin Owens, Finn Bálor, Hideo Itami, Sasha Banks and many more!

Tickets will be available on Friday, Jan. 23, at 10 a.m. ET at the LC Pavilion Box Office and Ticketmaster.com.

Don't miss your chance to attend VIP Experiences, including ringside seats and exclusive meet-and-greets with Ric Flair, Ryback and Big Show!

WWE Experience Event
For a jam-packed weekend of action and entertainment, there's no better spot at this year's Arnold Sports Festival than the WWE Experience on Saturday, March 7, and Sunday, March 8.

Enjoy live matches, featuring some of the best up-and-coming talent from WWE and NXT. Meet the Superstars and Divas of WWE's next generation during autograph signings with Finn Bálor, Hideo Itami, Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, Tyler Breeze, Sasha Banks, Charlotte, Alexa Bliss and more, plus don't miss your chance to get up close and personal with WWE Legends during Q&A Sessions.

See what it takes to become a WWE Superstar and watch a live tryout. Will any of these recruits become the next breakout Superstar? Better yet, will you? If you're serious about a future in sports entertainment, stop by the WWE recruiting booth and tell us.

More?

WWE NXT TakeOver: R Evolution Results

Triple H Talks Sami Zayn Impressing, Kevin Owens’ NXT Debut, How Charlotte Was Booked On Raw, NXT Touring & Much More

During a conference call at the WWE Performance Center Triple H gave some time to the media today to talk about NXT Takeover R Evolution airing Thursday night on the WWE Network. Triple H also enjoyed talking about the business in general and where WWE is headed. The following are some highlights:

- He noted he looks forward to these conversations and likes being able to speak with the media directly.

- He said they are “feverishly” working on getting the WWE Network in the UK but that the NXT special will be airing on television in UK.

- He talked about how proud he is of Charlotte and Sasha Banks. He talked about how some people were upset that Charlotte was used quickly in a loss on RAW. Apparently they were given more time originally but due to factors of live television, when they got to that segment they had to shorten their time. Triple H noted the important thing was exposure for NXT and Charlotte. Once she is a regular on the main roster, she would be be booked stronger.

- In a discussion about all the different types of athletes and backgrounds who come into NXT, HHH noted some talents pick things up quicker than others. He said Kurt Angle picked up professional wrestling faster than anyone he can recall.

- Finn Balor was overwhelmed in the past when they would walk him through entrances, music cues, where cameras can be and all of the other factors of being a television show. Triple H said Balor explained he had never thought about all that stuff. In the past he just walked to the ring and whoever was filming just captured him walking to the ring. Triple H was excited when speaking about the collaboration of WWE and great talent such as Balor.

- It has been discussed and is possible that the NXT title could be featured on the kickoff shows for the main roster pay-per-views or the events themselves. He said he likes when he hears people talk or suggest it because it’s a good sign the NXT brand is wanted.

- Gave a lot of praise to Sami Zayn. Talked about how he can be hard to describe sometimes to someone but is a great talent. Triple H said it might take longer for Zayn to reach his full potential with the audience, but once he gets there, it’s going to be great. He said Zayn is great with emotionally captivating an audience and has strong facials for television. At one point he compared Zayn to Ricky Steamboat. Triple H went on to say how impressive that is considering Zayn worked for so many years prior to WWE with a mask on.

- We were running short on time, but Triple H said if Vince can add more time to interviews because he owns the WWE Network than Triple H can add more time to his phone call, so he did.

- He gave a lot of credit to William Regal being a great scout for talent and evaluation talent.

- With regards to promos, Triple H said less heavily scripted promos are good, but not everyone can do them. He said a script isn’t a bad thing as long as the talent can put emotion into what is written for them and not sound like they are reading off of a piece of paper. He said some guys learn better than others with it. He noted Adrian Neville couldn’t speak when he first got to NXT but is now a lot better.

- NXT Takeover R Evolution will air on J Sports in Japan.

- Triple H talked about it being a fine line with Kevin Owens in terms of embracing what he’s accomplished in the past but moving forward and creating a WWE product. He says there is no point in ignoring Kevin’s accomplishments, but at the same time you don’t want to live in the past.

- Says he would like to get NXT touring more. Right now they tour in Florida and some of Georgia, but he would like to expand to more regions to continue growing the brand.

Backstage News On Kevin Steen's WWE NXT Debut

Kevin Steen's new NXT ring name Kevin Owens is indeed a tribute to the late Owen Hart, who Steen named his son Owen after. We noted that Steen recently filmed vignettes for his NXT TV debut and that he's expected to debut at either Takeover on December 11th or the TV tapings on December 12th. Steen also did an individual work-out in front of Triple H a few weeks back.