WWE News: Former NXT Champion Reveals Why He Relinquished Title

Months after his release from WWE, Samoa Joe has finally revealed the cause for his then-surprising decision to give up the NXT Championship a few weeks after winning it.

Speaking as a guest on SiriusXM’s “Busted Open Radio,” Joe disclosed that he had contracted COVID-19 and willingly gave the title up.

“I popped for COVID. It was the weekend; my wife was making stew and I couldn’t smell it. She said, ‘Wow, doesn’t that smell great.’ I tested positive on Saturday,” Joe shared,

The 42-year-old then lengthily explained that the changes to the NXT brand made him realize that his time in the company was coming to an end and that it would be better to remain on the sidelines.

“By then, Vince [McMahon] wanted to go in a different direction with NXT and he wanted to have the new opening with NXT 2.0 be with a bang and I agreed with him. I said, ‘If that’s the case, this is probably what’s best for what your vision is for this product.’”

Joe is no stranger to WWE’s policy of cutting talent in the name of budget cuts as he was released in April 2021, but then-NXT head producer Triple H was reportedly infuriated that he was released which prompted his re-signing.

He returned to WWE programming as a special enforcer in the NXT brand, which led to his eventual feud with Karrion Kross for the title at NXT TakeOver 36 this past August.

Before Joe had confirmed why Joe had let go of the title so easily, it was believed that he was dealing with another set of injuries that shortened his run on the main roster multiple times by that point.

On January 6 of this year, Joe’s tenure with WWE came to an official end as he was again released.

In just six years, Joe achieved more than what many performers could in their entire careers, which includes being a two-time United States Champion, Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic winner with Finn Balor, and the distinction of being the only three-time NXT Champion.