New NXT Champion Samoa Joe was recently interviewed on Busted Open Radio, during which he talked about his on-screen role as while as his new role backstage scouting talent.
Here is what he said:
“I think really just an aptitude for understanding some of the real core principles that you find in an athlete that make you a superstar.” “Obviously we always talk about the intangibles and I think that’s the biggest thing. We can go out there and find these great athletes, but to find these great athletes with these certain intangibles where people are drawn to them. I’ve always had a really great ability to identify that.”
“And honestly? If you’re one of the top wrestlers in the world then trust me, I know about you. I keep my eyes on the industry, I keep my fingers in a lot of different pots and I communicate with a lot of the guys across the industry. I’m not a guy who shows up and doesn’t talk to people. I have a lot of great relationships with a lot of great people across the industry, which I’m very thankful for. Partially it’s kind of the mission to find the next great superstar, but also to give a shot and get eyes on these places where there’s a tremendous amount of talent. And hopefully, if there’s a big enough spotlight, maybe we can bring a little bit of spotlight to it.”
Samoa Joe then talked about how WWE's NXT brand continues to evolve for the better and in order to do that they have to continue finding new talent and introduce them to the world even though it could be uneasy at times due to someone new always showing up, but at the same time, it is exciting.
He added:
“I think that evolution’s only going to continue.” “NXT’s always kind of been the impetus for experiment and change and doing things differently in WWE. And I think a lot of that change has reverberated down to the Smackdown and the RAW brands, and I don’t think it’s going to be any different in the future. It’s always going to be in a state of chaotic flux, it’s always going to be in a state of change, that’s just by the nature of what it is. We’re finding new and brand new talent and introducing these people to the world, and in order to do that you have to keep mixing up the pot.”
“It makes a lot of fans a little but uneasy at times, I’m well aware of that, but at the same time it’s exciting to get on the ground floor and see somebody become a star in front of your eyes. And that’s happened so many times in NXT. I’ve been witness to it and it’s just kind of a wonderful thing. I think it’s a major appeal to the WWE universe. They get to be here and see Finn Balor happen, someone like Bayley happen, someone like Sasha Banks or Charlotte happen. They’re so popular in the universe now because they grew up with them here, in NXT.”
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