– The backstage rumor is that Samoa Joe is expected to debut either at the Royal Rumble as a surprise entrant or shortly thereafter. He has only competed in a dark match recently for NXT and has lost to Shinsuke Nakamura two times in a row, which would seem to support an upcoming promotion to the main roster.
– There is also an idea that when Joe does debut with WWE, he will be heavily pushed and be involved in one of the top matches at WrestleMania. This is quite a turnaround for a guy who Vince McMahon was never high on due to his physique.
Source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Subscription information available at f4wonline.com