AEW Star Confirms They're Leaving the Company

Joey Janela confirmed in an interview with Denise Salcedo of Instinct Culture this week that he'll be leaving AEW as soon as his contract expires this Spring. Janela was one of the promotion's earliest signings back in 2019 and had notable early programs with the likes of Jon Moxley, Kenny Omega and Darby Allin, but has used primarily on AEW Dark for over a year. He explained that there's no hard feelings between the company and him but later pointed out the promotion has a habit of going "radio silent" with wrestlers they have no intention of re-signing. The former GCW World Heavyweight Champion is the biggest departure from the promotion since Cody Rhodes last month. 

"I am happy and I am satisfied with what I did in those 3 years in AEW," Janela said (h/t Fightful) "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}."

"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," he continued. "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. People say to me on the internet, 'the only reason why you worked at AEW is because you were friends with the Young Bucks.' I met the Young Bucks twice before AEW. I was one of the most successful self-promoting wrestlers in the world at that point. 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. The doctors tell me my back is shaped like an 'S', because of all the wild stuff I have done in my career, that's something that is scary to hear and 'that's why you're not moving the way you should at 31 years old. It's because your spine is shaped like an 'S'. ' But that's been fixed, I feel great I am back in shape. 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."