AEW quietly dropped a major update on Samoa Joe’s status — and it came with a power shift.
During the February 7, 2026 episode of AEW Collision, a segment aired near the top of the second hour featuring HOOK addressing Joe’s injury. With Samoa Joe sidelined due to a non-contact training injury, HOOK revealed that Joe has personally appointed him as the new leader of The Opps while he’s out of action.
The announcement marks the first real storyline movement following Joe being declared not medically cleared to compete, after AEW confirmed on Dynamite that he suffered the injury while training with no timetable set for his return.
By handing leadership to HOOK, AEW immediately reframes Joe’s absence as more than just an injury update — it’s a shift in control. The Opps now have a clear figurehead, and HOOK steps into his biggest leadership role to date with Joe watching from the sidelines.
With Joe out of the ring and HOOK now calling the shots, AEW’s main event and faction dynamics could start changing fast.
Do you like HOOK being tapped as the leader of The Opps while Samoa Joe is injured, or should AEW have gone in a different direction? Drop your thoughts and let us know how you’d book it.