Some new details have emerged regarding the status of Samoa Joe in All Elite Wrestling.
“The Samoan Submission Machine” did not appear on the January 28 episode of AEW Dynamite, with commentary noting that he had suffered a non-contact injury and was not medically cleared to compete.
It has since been confirmed that Joe has been placed in concussion protocol. At this time, there is no official word regarding the severity of the injury or how long he is expected to remain sidelined.
Before the injury, Joe was reportedly factored heavily into top-tier creative plans, particularly within the AEW World Championship picture. Those plans were adjusted once he was pulled from action.
Andrade El Idolo stepped into the spotlight following Joe’s absence and quickly capitalized on the opportunity. AEW officials were said to be pleased with both Andrade’s in-ring performance and the crowd reaction to his victory over Swerve Strickland on the January 28 Dynamite episode.
Momentum continued on the February 4 edition of Dynamite when Andrade defeated Kenny Omega, earning an AEW World Championship Eliminator match against Hangman Page at AEW Grand Slam: Australia 2026 on February 10 in Sydney.
The winner of that bout is slated to challenge for the AEW World Championship at AEW Revolution 2026 on March 15 in Los Angeles, California.
Joe’s injury also caused a shift within The Opps. On the February 4 episode of Dynamite from Las Vegas, Hook was elevated into the leadership role of the faction, stepping up in Joe’s absence.
One injury has led to major ripple effects across AEW’s main event scene.
We will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available regarding Samoa Joe’s status.
