Joey Janela Says He’s Not Re-Signing With AEW

Joey Janela will not be re-signing with AEW once his contract expires on May 1, Janela said in an interview with Denise Salcedo that was posted today.

In the interview, Janela spoke as if the decision was mutual.

Regarding re-signing, he said, “I said in a couple interviews with Sean [Ross Sapp] in September, I said ‘yes.’ Recently, in an interview with Barstool Sports I said ‘yes.’ My contract is up on May 1st. And I am gonna have to say no now. I am not interested in re-signing with AEW.”

Janela later spoke about AEW letting wrestlers’ contracts expire.

“They’ve been doing this to people, they’ve been radio silent on the people they are letting the contracts expire, that’s why you have talent relations to talk to your talent and tell them what the situation is. If they are gonna have a paycheck coming in or if they are gonna be signed to a per appearance deal, which some of the guys have agreed to. I would never agree on a per appearance deal anywhere. My per appearance deal is gonna be when I am booking myself all over the world, I am booked in 6 different countries coming up. Per appearance on the independent scene, I wanna be my own boss. That’s how I got my name out there, I was my own boss, and I had the most buzz outside of The Elite and that’s why I had this opportunity at AEW, that’s why I had this opportunity at All In.

“I am not sad about anything, I thank everyone there, I learned so much. I had ups and downs. COVID really killed me wrestling in front of no crowd, I really lost motivation, my back was shot out. I just wish there was less radio silence on their end with me. I consider Tony [Khan] a friend, I hung out with Tony a lot in the beginning days of AEW, I just wish they would talk to me. I know it’s come to an end. But I appreciate them, I appreciate the experience I had and I am gonna take everything I learned there and bring it with me for the rest of my career.”

Janela also said that he felt that the “straw that broke the camel’s back” was when he broke Eddie Kingston’s orbital bone with a superkick in January.

“I think they had plans for me. Tony kept on saying ‘after [the Sonny Kiss feud] we’re bring you back to TV’ but unfortunately I think a lot of it has to do with a situation where I worked with Eddie Kingston in Charlotte, and I super kicked him in the face a little bit too hard, came in a little bit too hot, I had been squatting probably 50 more pounds than I am used to be squatting, and doing a hundred pounds more on the leg press and I don’t know, I didn’t realize I had that type of power in my legs and I gave him a super kick and I broke his orbital bone. He was going into a feud with Chris Jericho, and I feel that may have been the straw that broke the camel’s back. A lot of guys, maybe some older heads that believed my hype and believed that I was some kind of dangerous professional wrestler. I’ve had times where I’ve injured people of course, everyone has. But once you get that reputation, it’s hard to break that. I’ve had a string of bad luck throughout my AEW career and that may have been the straw that broke the camel’s back but I don’t know because they don’t communicate with me. They did the same thing to Marko Stunt. They just stopped talking to him. But I appreciate them, but if you have talent relations, I know Christopher Daniels would love nothing more than to tell me I am no longer with the company. But it is what it is. I am not sad, I am not mad, I am not mad at anyone. I had a wonderful experience.”

He said that he’s satisfied with his time in AEW and plans to continue wrestling in the indie scene.

“I am happy and I am satisfied with what I did in those 3 years in AEW. It was a learning experience, and I am gonna say this in the most positive way possible without looking negative. Those three years with AEW was developmental for the rest of my career. I am so much sharper now, not only in-ring but business wise, I’ve learned so much in those three years. Now not only am I sharper myself, in all facets of the wrestling business, but also I can go to a young guy, I could go to a Nick Wayne and teach him stuff, of the stuff that I’ve learned in those three years. Or I can go to GCW or I can go to another promotion and teach them what I’ve learned on the other side of the curtain. I am not sad at all. I did everything I wanted to do there. Within the 6 months I started there, my goal was to wrestle Jon Moxley, Kenny Omega, main event TV, main event pay-per-view. Did it all. The only thing I didn’t get was an action figure. So be it. It’s over now and we’re just moving forward. I have no complaints, I thank Tony [Khan].”

Transcript h/t: Fightful