Samoa Joe Headlining Warrior 1 show in Oshawa - by Tim Baines

Toronto, ON - (TORONTO SUN) June 12, 2005

Samoa Joe could be the best worker not currently with WWE. As a wrestler working independent shows, he's carved out a pretty good living. Not bad at all for 26-year-old Joe Seannoa, who will be headlining a blockbuster Warrior 1 Wrestling show in Oshawa on June 26, facing Raven with Mick Foley as the guest referee..

Rumoured to be WWE bound, Joe says nothing is imminent.

"I've spoken with people from there," he said. "But there's nothing on the table."

He got his start in 1999.

"I wasn't a crazy wrestling fan," he said. "But I'd watched the NWA sparingly. I liked Arn Anderson. He was always precise, very bold. Now I'm a big Eddie Guerrero fan. He's a tremendously skilled wrestler and an amazing bumper."

Joe's climb to the top of the indy scene was slow, but rewarding nonetheless.

"I've wrestled in front of 15 people," he said. "And if there are only 15 people and someone says that you suck, you know exactly who it was ... he's sitting right there.

"Those first six months, I'm not even sure I got gas money on some nights."

Things have changed dramatically. He's wrestled all over the U.S., Japan, United Kingdom and Germany ... and Canada. He's been a headliner and a champion for the prestigious Ring of Honour. Joe, who checks in at 6-foot-2 and 280 lbs., was ranked 34th in Pro Wrestling Illustrated's Top 500, ahead of stars like Kurt Angle.

And he’s pumped about appearing at the Oshawa megashow, an event that will also feature stars Kamala, Jummy (Mouth of the South) Hart, Gail Kim, Kid Kash, Chris Sabin, Team Canada and The New Church (Sinn and Slash). Tickets for the card, which begins at 3 p.m., are available through www.ticketmaster.ca.