Samoa Joe recently had some pretty strong words for fans who believe WWE is ruining pro wrestling's independent scene.
Ever since the introduction and rapid ascension of NXT, WWE has been in the business of recruiting all of the world's best professional wrestlers. Superstars such as Shinsuke Nakamura, Finn Balor, Andrade 'Cien' Almas, are just a few standouts from around the world. What effect is that having on the pro wrestling scene as a whole though? It has definitely altered it in some major ways?
There are some who believe that because of the Performance Center, all pro wrestlers who pass through will be molded in the same way. Well, you only have to watch NXT to discover that simply isn't true. Wrestlers at Full Sail are being exposed to a number of different styles and trainers, so even though they are all in the same place, they are becoming their own unique characters.
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What about the independent scene though? Is WWE's current way of recruiting stars ruining the indies? One man who definitely does not believe that to be the case is Samoa Joe. The former NXT Champion recently spoke with Pop Culture and had some strong words for those who believe WWE is unfairly taking from the indies. "There are too many crazy talented dudes out there that aren’t getting paid, and if you have a problem with WWE making those dudes rich, you can kiss my ass," Joe exclaimed.
"You know whose fault it is, that your favorite wrestler got bought out? The company he was working for, cause they were too cheap to pay him what he was worth," Joe said during the interview. It's a hard point to argue against too. Take Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks for instance. New Japan is clearly paying them what they believe they're worth at the moment, which is why WWE's attempts to sign them have fallen flat. Perhaps if companies did the same with the likes of AJ Styles and Joe, they would not have signed with WWE.
It's actually quite strange that some fans are accusing WWE of ruining the indies, simply because the independent scene appears to be thriving right now. There has never been more choice for pro wrestling fans than there is right now. Simply put, if you don't like the WWE product or the promotion's methods, there is literally a whole world of pro wrestling out there for you to follow and watch instead.