The Complex 7: Samoa Joe and Jay Lethal

Growing up in the ’80s, our demented minds were irreparably damaged by two things: rap and pro wrestling. Dudes dressed up in outrageous outfits, talking shit to each other and staging fake fights—nothing could beat ‘em. We fell away from wrestling for a while, but rappers don’t actually fight each other any more and there’s a new crop of spandex-clad wrestlers on the scene, so we might just dust off our action figures and go in for a suplex or two (pause?).

This Sunday, TNA Wrestling’s annual Lockdown extravaganza goes down in Philadelphia. The pay-per-view event features all of TNA’s top stars, fighting inside a steel cage a.k.a. “The Six Sides of Steel.” Complex recently got with Samoa Joe and Jay Lethal to talk about some of their interests outside the ring.

#1. WHAT’S YOUR NUMBER-ONE DEAL-BREAKER FOR A POTENTIAL GIRLFRIEND?

Jay Lethal says: I have to say height. They gotta be shorter than I am. I’m 5′9″ and I just like it when they’re shorter.

Samoa Joe says: If she’s not confident, it’s a deal-breaker. If you deal with a confident chick, all the other baggage falls away. I’ve never been with a woman that didn’t respect herself.

#2. IF YOU HAD A WEEK-LONG HOLIDAY, WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

Jay Lethal says: Probably stay in bed all day and sleep. Hibernation. I don’t get to sleep a lot since I’m wrestling all the time.

Samoa Joe says: Just chill around the house and spend time with my family. I travel so much it’s cool to be home. When you travel around the world your holiday is where you rest your head.

#3. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED?

Jay Lethal says: There’s this commercial on TV where there’s a kid with his mom in the airport. It’s an anti-smoking commercial and the mom goes outside to smoke and he somehow loses her and can’t find her. It’s real sad man, it makes me well up a little bit.

Samoa Joe says: The birth of my son. He was born three months ago. Tears of joy; I can freely admit that.

Jay channels his inner Macho Man.

#4. WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE SNEAKER OF ALL TIME?

Jay Lethal says: Pumas of all kinds. I don’t think I own any other sneaker.

Samoa Joe says: The L.A. Gear Rebound, the Karl Malone shoe. I had ‘em when I was a kid, like ‘91, ‘92.

#5. WHAT HAS TO BE IN YOUR FRIDGE AT ALL TIMES?

Jay Lethal says: I’m trying to give up soda, but Pepsi is my all-time favorite beverage. Coke leaves this weird feeling on my teeth and Pepsi doesn’t. There’s a big difference between the two.

Samoa Joe says: Minute Maid OJ, low pulp.

#6. WHAT’S THE MOST EMBARRASSING PIECE OF CLOTHING YOU’VE EVER WORN?

Jay Lethal says: I did laundry the day before we had to go to Florida for this taping and one of the pairs of sweatpants had shrunk. They were a little tight.

Samoa Joe says: That’s hard for me to list. There was a period of my life when I wore a fanny pack—being a pro wrestler, it happens to all the guys—until somebody pulled me aside and told me to go with a backpack.

#7. WHAT’S THE WORST WAY YOU’VE BROKEN UP WITH SOMEONE?

Jay Lethal says: That hasn’t happened yet. I’m currently in my first actual relationship. I’m 23; I’ve been with my girl for a year and some change.

Samoa Joe says: I don’t know if there’s ever been a best way. Maybe on a birthday. I went to a girl’s birthday and hung out with her all night, and then at the end of the night, I was just like, “Ahhhh…”

The “Samoan Submission Machine” lives up to his name.