“History shows again and again
How nature points out the folly of men.
Godzilla.”
Blue Öyster Cult’s sleeper hit single, “Godzilla,” is a rumination on the grander themes surrounding the titular kaiju.
For years, the opening riff of Akira Ifukube’s “Gojira Tai Mosura” served as the prelude to Samoa Joe’s entrance theme.
The track is synonymous with Godzilla, serving as the kaiju’s unofficial theme. While Joe has since distanced himself from the theme, for obvious legal reasons, it left a lasting impression — informing our understanding of the “Samoa Submission Machine.”
When asked if Godzilla is inherently good or evil, producer Shōgo Tomiyama likened the “King of Monsters” to the Shinto God of Destruction — whose actions are inexplicable to humans. In the cycle of rebirth, destruction is necessary.
Like Godzilla or even the destroyer god itself, Samoa Joe doesn’t revel in carnage. He’s ambivalent towards it, because he’s a fundamental force of nature. Like Blue Öyster Cult’s song, Joe points out the folly of men, wading through challengers as if they were collateral damage.
“Joe’s gonna kill you” is less of a chant and more of a dogma. Wrestlers resign themselves to his warpath, because he is inevitable.
For fans, the chant became an anthem—recognizing a wrestler at the height of his profession. That’s because Samoa Joe is the perfect professional wrestler.
Stylistically, Joe wears his influences on his sleeves. A fan of 1990s All Japan, Shinya Hashimoto, Bad News Brown and Arn Anderson, it’s easy to understand how Joe carefully cultivated his image. He’s spent the last 25 years walking the king’s road — prioritizing narrative progression through his work in the ring, rather than outside of it. That isn’t to say that he isn’t adept on the microphone. Joe speaks with a distinct voice that exudes authenticity — mirroring his intensity in the squared circle.
Joe’s greatest attribute, however, is his understanding of tone and atmosphere — through the use of music, fashion, diction and syntax. He has the demeanor and stature of a prize fighter. Even juxtaposed to the likes of Brock Lesnar, Joe feels legitimate.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7D1Rx610tdE
His reverence for the sport of professional wrestling is captivating. He’s unapologetically authentic. Professional wrestling needs more Samoa Joes.
At “WrestleDream,” Joe is facing “Hangman” Adam Page for the AEW Men’s World Championship.
As a former world champion in his own right, Joe is certainly no stranger to the world stage. This is his umpteenth time challenging for a major world championship, having previously flown the banner for Ring of Honor, TNA, NXT and AEW. While Joe’s reign as AEW World Champion was brief, it did include a notable win over Page via submission — in a triple-threat match at last year’s “Revolution.”
Joe’s conceit is that Page is a “pretender,” not fit to hold the world championship. Joe also humorously dispelled Page’s assertion that he’s a “fighting champion,” calling it a hustle that lesser champions use to pad their statistics.
For Page, Joe poses a unique threat. His first defense was a rematch against Jon Moxley, where he soundly defeated the former champion. His second defense was against his contemporary and rival, MJF. His third and fourth defenses were against Kyle Fletcher and Lee Moriarty, respectfully, two men looking to prove themselves on the world stage.
Joe is unlike any of those four challengers. At 46 years old, he’s in the late autumn of his career. Yet, he still has the allure of an apex predator; every bit as physically imposing, deceivingly athletic, and cerebral as he was a decade ago. Joe is still a force of nature. He can still kill you. He’s more than a crucible to overcome. And, defeating Joe will be more than a notch on the “Hangman’s” belt. It will be a Herculean labor. That’s because there’s equity in his brand. Joe is more than a luminary — he’s an institution.
You don’t defeat Godzilla. You survive him.
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