Samoa Joe Explains Why He Shoved MJF At NXT Takeover Brooklyn II, Referencing It In AEW

At NXT Takeover Brooklyn II in 2016, NXT Champion Samoa Joe shoved a young MJF, who was working security, out of the way as he was walking to the ring. 

At AEW All Out, ROH TV Champion Samoa Joe shoved AEW World Champion MJF out of the way as he was walking to the ring. 

The full circle moment ignited a feud between the two that will culminate at AEW Dynamite Grand Slam. 

Asked by Joseph Staszewski of the New York Post if the feud had to happen given how often fans bring up Joe shoving MJF in NXT, Joe replied, “I don’t think we necessarily had to get to it through that meme or avenue because I think he’s a very talented individual, much like myself. I think we have an innate ability to go out and pick a fight no matter what the circumstances are. It obviously was something that stuck out in a lot of peoples’ minds. I knew for a lot of people it was a funny iconic moment. Why fight the flow?”

Asked about the shove in NXT, Joe recalled the moment by saying, “I always feel like if you’re gonna take up screen time at least be somewhat interesting. We were walking down the hallway. He was maybe doing too good of a job trying to clear things out. I put him up into the wall. I think after everyone kind of took a look at it and had a hilarious chuckle and it ended up sticking around and staying. I think it was close to live where we had a little bit of a delay because we were running (video) packages and stuff like that. By the time it got to the truck it was gonna be broadcast pretty shortly afterward and they were all about it.” 

Joe earned his shot at the AEW World Title by winning an eliminator tournament, defeating Roderick Strong in the finals. 

Fightful will have live coverage of AEW Dynamite Grand Slam beginning at 8 p.m. ET on Wednesday.