Samoa Joe is officially back on AEW television after roughly four months away. The former AEW World Champion made his return during Saturday Tailgate Brawl, which took place Saturday at the NOW Arena in the Chicago area.
Joe’s return came right after Jack Perry defeated Katsuyori Shibata. Perry had spent recent weeks trying to get to Joe, but the Opps made it clear that he would first have to go through Shibata. After picking up the win, Perry called out Joe again.
This time, however, Perry got the response he had been looking for. Joe’s music hit, and he made a surprise appearance, going straight after Perry and starting the next chapter of their rivalry.
Ask and you shall receive! @SamoaJoe is BACK!
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) September 26, 2026
Watch #AEWTailgateBrawl LIVE on TNT & HBO Max pic.twitter.com/sXbo6SQP0g
The storyline began on the September 16 episode of AEW Dynamite, when Perry said he needed to face former world champions to reach the top of the company and chose Joe as his next target.
Joe had been off television since May. Following his appearance at Double or Nothing, he announced that he would be away for a few months because Hollywood had come calling again. During that time, he worked on filming the third season of Twisted Metal, the Peacock series in which he plays Sweet Tooth.
Before this hiatus, Joe had also made an in-ring return in April, defeating Cody Chhun on Dynamite.