Samoa Joe is bringing together two different Warner Bros. Discovery properties for his first AEW World Championship defense.
Joe will defeat legendary wrestler Taz on Wednesday's Dynamite (8 p.m., TBS) in a match hosted by Rocksteady's new third-person action video game, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. He will compete against his son, FTW Champion Hook. He voices the character of King Shark.
Joe said that other than “expressing the tenacity of my character, King Shark,” as “I bone this young guy in the middle of the ring,” this partnership will influence the presentation of the match. He said no. But he would be happy to spearhead a joint venture with DC Warner that he owns his Discovery Brothers.
Before the game and the game's release on February 2nd, Joe took time for a Q&A with The Post's Joseph Staszewski.
(Edited for clarity and length)
Q: What does this collaboration with AEW, Warner Bros., and the first AEW Championship defense match mean to you?
A: That absolutely makes sense. We are working on several different aspects of WB. It felt like a natural partnership. I would be happy if I could help facilitate this process. We're very proud of this match and very proud to be AEW World Champions, so it felt natural to bring these two together.
Q: What do you hope to accomplish during your championship reign? I don't think AEW has ever had a more dominant and dominant heel champion. I feel like it's going to be something very fresh.
A: I think that's exactly the approach. This is going to be a championship reign bubble with a lot of first-time matchups and a lot of fresh blood that has never been in the ring, so there are a lot of questions about how they will perform within the scope. The rest of the ring is with me.
Q: Given what Hook has accomplished so far, do you think he deserves a world title challenger? There was a lot of discussion online last week about Hook getting this opportunity, including Tony Khan. was there.
A: He's big on numbers, but let's see if he can put his heart into it. I really think so. On paper he should be there, but there's nothing on paper in that ring, so we're going to find out.
Q: How much of Taz's personality and approach to things was reflected in what he did in the ring?
A: I think there are a lot of similarities between me and Taz, and I think even he would agree with this, it's just that we have a very similar martial arts background and a very similar stoic person. It comes from the fact that they were the ones responsible for training us. It teaches us business. In that respect, I feel a kinship with a lot of what Taz represented when he was wrestling.To say it didn't influence me or most people at the time would be to downplay his enormous influence on the industry.
Q: Hook hinted in the promo that you guys might have spent time together or even crossed paths before. How much did you get to know and interact with Hook during his climb?
A: I had met Hook several times in my life, knew his father and his family connections, and was always kept informed of his accomplishments in the sport. [in lacrosse] As he grew up, he was a very proud pop and would talk about his son's accomplishments, and they were very impressive. Now he is stepping into the world of wrestling to achieve the same honor and feels this is his path. It probably won't happen, but you have to admire the moxie.
Q: What has impressed you about watching Hook grow in the ring?
A: That child is Ratel. He just keeps moving forward, not caring about what's in front of him, its size, shape, or level of danger he might be in. He continues to lunge forward, biting your ankle, biting your neck, trying to catch his neck. Hold you in any way he can. That's a great thing. That's a quality a champion has. In this level you just step into the wood chipper. It's going to be a bad night.
Q: I heard Hook and Taz have been updating you, what is it like having him standing across from you in your first title defense?
A: There are some lessons a father cannot teach his son. If a father doesn't go to prison, there are some things he can't naturally teach his son. I'm going to teach Hook that lesson. Maybe the lesson Taz wanted to teach him, no, I'm going to teach that to Hook. He'll learn how the world works really quickly when he gets in the ring with me.
Q: You've seen a lot of people rise through the ranks in this business. Swerve Strickland is the one who made his intentions clear. What do you think about the way he was trying to increase his stock price?
A: I think you're seeing athletes come into their own. Exactly as described. It's about someone who has finally found peace in their own skin, found a successful formula, and is able to extend and utilize it. That's what you get with Swerve. He's been a student of the game for a while. Maybe he wasn't given the best opportunities, but he came to AEW and created opportunities for himself. He's built a nice little edge around himself to secure those opportunities. I never blame people for making themselves better.
Q: Do you feel like something was taken away from the championship moment at World's End when you weren't there at the end of the show? You walked away and now we have to finish things off. You have to play the devil angle.
A: No, I'm not a child. I'm a world champion. Oh, can I go out and celebrate and kiss my kids and run around in the bleachers? Is that what everyone missed? There was confetti and a huge fireworks show and I was supposed to high-five a bald eagle flying in an F-14 jet? What a shame for such a soft ass. The champion walked out of the building with the championship. That's all you need to know. Unless it's confusing. If so, I'm sorry. I feel sorry for everyone.
Q: What do you think when you sign Adam Cole and he says Wardlow is going to win the title here and he's going to give it to him?
A: That's a great plan. That's really true. I mean, I also say a lot of weird stuff sometimes, but it doesn't make it happen. Adam made a bad deal. He couldn't accomplish the task himself. To be honest, he wants to be like the devil, but he has to pick his bones and he has his reasons. All I know is that it still took the champions some time to actually execute their plan. He can make all sorts of innuendos. But all I see is other people challenging me, and Wardlaw is nowhere to be found.
Q: Fans have pretty high expectations for Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. They're craving another Arkham-style experience. How long have you been able to play and what kind of interest do you think people will have in this game?
A: I played the alpha version. [version] Like many others. [We] I enjoyed playing a different style of game.I love [Batman] I also like the Arkham series. I very much enjoyed every entry, its nuances. This is a new frontier for rocksteady. It's a very new sensation game. I think once people understand that this is a very new experience, they'll get hooked and enjoy it.
Q: In what ways is it a new experience? I know there's co-op play involved.
A: Everything. From the co-op aspects, to the traversal mechanics, to the openness of cities, to the verticality of combat zones. It's a game that differs greatly from the Arkham games only in the scale of the battles. You'll see a great blend of Arkham's DNA throughout the game. I think it will be a very new experience from Rocksteady.
Q: What was your approach to working on the voice of King Shark?
A: He's an incredibly well-read and intelligent Shark, but he's naive about the word. Much of what he is experiencing after he is trapped in Belle Reve and then added to the Suicide Squad and placed under investigation. [Amanda] With Waller's direction, he has a very limited worldview. Everywhere he goes, he's like a tourist on vacation, touring the sights, and he gets excited about it. It's kind of cool to play this very clingy, intelligent shark who can't get over the fact that The Daily Planet is actually very unpleasant to watch.
Q: Did you get to interact with Kevin Conroy, who ultimately voiced Batman, at all during the process?
A: Unfortunately, I didn't have much interaction with Kevin other than a short conference call. I'm a big fan. I grew up on “Batman: The Animated Series.” When we talk about Batman's iconic voice, I think for many people, Kevin's voice resonated in their heads, even though there have been great actors who have played Batman over the years. I can't believe he's in this game.
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League will be released on Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, and PC.
