Samoa Joe Injury Update: Has His Return Been Pushed Back?

There are clues that Samoa Joe's return from his most recent injury may have been pushed back a little bit further.

Joe suffered an injury during a January 8 Monday Night RAW match with Rhyno that has kept him out of action ever since. His return has seemed kind of touch and go, with Joe talking about it recently on Booker T's podcast and referring to his return as kind of a week to week diagnosis.

"It's kind of a week to week thing," Joe said. "With these injuries sometimes they heal sooner, sometimes they heal later. They are going to do a little bit of an ultrasound, check it out every week. They're going to be giving me treatments. It's not something that can be fixed surgically. It's basically a lot of time, rest, and elevation, and letting it heal. It just depends on how quick it heals. Hopefully, it will be sooner than later. Obviously, we're going to be past the [Royal] Rumble, but I don't know how much further past that."

Clearly, Joe would like to be back in time for WrestleMania. He has yet to perform on the grandest stage of them all. Last year, he was healthy but was simply not booked on the show. This year, an injury could keep him away.

Joe had been advertised for some upcoming live events following WrestleMania, but he has since been removed from that advertising according to WWE.com (h/t to Joshua Gagnon at Wrestling Inc.). He is no longer listed on any upcoming tours until a European tour in May.

This could simply be a precaution, though WWE does always list their cards and talent advertised as "subject to change." With Joe's description of his status as week to week, there is always the possibility he could be cleared long before May and return. That said, it is interesting that WWE took the action to remove him from so many advertised shows.