Summary

Samoa Joe said his AEW return should happen “sooner than later” after missing recent television time following a non-contact injury.

AEW announced on the January 28 Dynamite episode that Joe was not cleared, and his last match was on the January 21 Dynamite show, where he defeated Mike Bailey.

There is still no confirmed date for his return.

Samoa Joe’s timeline and The Opps direction during his absence

Samoa Joe signaling a near-term return gives AEW a meaningful boost to one of its established acts, because The Opps have continued without him while HOOK has handled leadership and recruitment duties.

If Joe is back soon, AEW can pivot quickly from interim faction management to a more defined power structure around his on-screen role.

Quotes

Quote from Samoa Joe

“We’ll be back at AEW sooner than later,”