Samoa Joe comments on Michael Cole, being released twice by WWE

"I think gauging your thoughts behind eliciting reactions from the crowd and how to get it rather than just worrying about the minutiae of what you're doing. Like, not worrying about the details, but worrying about the destination is kind of what I'm getting at. I feel like a lot of guys are really stuck on the technicality of what they're doing and not the reason why they're doing it. I think that's my biggest advice I would offer to anybody in AEW or WWE. It's awesome that you can do it, but why are you doing it? I think just bring that essence of reality to having a reason for everything you do. I hate the term, “Less is more.’ I think it's kind of an open invitation to be really lazy, but I love saying, ‘Get the most out of everything you do.’ I think It's a better way of saying that."

On being released twice by WWE:

"As I understand it, unconfirmed, there’s issues between the two upper echelons of management and they were playing out their war with the careers and the contracts of the people underneath them. So after the initial one, I mean, I didn't have much of a chance to grieve because essentially I was hired back within hours. The second time, I just kind of chuckled because I realized it was very much the same situation. At the same time, I mean, I wasn't bitter or mad. I mean, the truth of it is, and really this is to give WWE some credence, was that I was expensive. I was expensive to keep around and if cutting my contract they said saved the company money, trust me, I believe they did. So I wasn't hot about that. It was more just the silliness of the situation and what they were doing and the reasoning why they're doing it, which I can't officially confirm, but I've heard from enough people that have a pretty good idea, including many of the people involved. After that, I think I spent a day kind of pissed, like I said, more of the situation than the actual firing, and then all these super awesome opportunities literally materialized out of nowhere."

Thoughts on Michael Cole:

"I gained so much respect from Michael Cole and seeing what he actually does for the company. It goes far beyond the camera and seeing what he has to put up with. I realized this is a man who, like anybody else in the world, would have broken under the pressure that he's under consistently week after week after week. He was a big help too. He fully believed in me and did everything he could to put me in the best position to succeed."

If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit The Sessions with Renée Paquette with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.