Samoa Joe Weighs In On Tony Khan Controversy Ahead Of AEW Dynamite Match Against Hook

Samoa Joe might be the face of AEW, but the newly minted world champion is doing his best to focus on his own business as he heads into Wednesday's match against Hook. AEW President Tony Khan tried to spark a conversation about the match by lamenting the booking of WWE's recent world title contender Jinder Mahal, which led to something of a backlash against the AEW executive. In a new interview with ESPN, Joe says that he's not concerned with his boss's attempts at promotion.

"That had nothing to do with me. I mean, that's just really a cute little debate. I'm glad everybody's chimed in on it," Joe told ESPN. Joe agrees with Khan about the fact that Hook has the statistics required to challenge for the world title, as Hook is currently 29-1. "He's got the stats, but let's see if he's got the heart. And I think that's what this match is really about." Joe believes that AEW's revolutionary approach to pro wrestling will always lead to detractors.

"We've set a new standard for who will get the championship shots around here. And it's gonna bring up a lot of discussion and disagreements," Joe explained, praising Hook's accomplishments. "When you look at this guy, you look at a guy with limitless potential. He has the pedigree. We will take him in and find out what he's made of."

Hook is currently the FTW Champion, the title created and previously held by his father, Taz, though his title will not be on the line on "Dynamite."