There is a very good feeling among fans of WWE that we will be seeing a former two-time NXT Champion on either RAW or Smackdown Live early 2017.
As it seems to be playing out, the feeling is that Samoa Joe will be called up to the main roster over the next few weeks with the latest being the Royal Rumble match. This rumor has gone since he lost, the NXT belt to Nakamura at NXT Takeover in Brooklyn that happened this past summer. Then in a surprising manner, WWE had Joe defeat Nakamura again at NXT Takeover Toronto to regain the title. He recently lost the belt again at a live show in Japan.
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The way its more than likely going to be played off on NXT is that Samoa Joe has nothing else to do since it was already announced that Bobby Roode is the Number, #1 Contender. Roode has an NXT Title match at the next NXT Takeover that is happening in San Antonio the night before the Royal Rumble. Since Nakamura has other business to attend to, Samoa Joe has no reason left to being on NXT.
As far as which brand he should go to has been a big question brought up in many wrestling groups. In my opinion, he should bring up to the Smackdown Live brand. If he goes to the RAW brand, he will get mixed up in the shuffle and will end up not amounting to anything of remembrance. However, if he goes to Smackdown Live, then he can easily be shot right into the main event scene for a few reasons.
For starters, Smackdown has a lack of credible heel wrestlers and he could easily be brought in as a monster heel. I am aware that AJ Styles is currently the champion, but you need more than just a few heel main event level wrestlers. Outside of AJ Styles, the only other heel is Baron Corbin if he would be booked the right way. Samoa Joe could easily become the 2nd or 3rd biggest heel on the Smackdown Brand.
Overall, who would have thought that in 2016 that the two biggest heels on Smackdown, if this is the way that WWE goes, will be two former TNA wrestlers?
This is a rumor and should be taken with a grain of salt.