Joey Ryan Isn’t Going to AEW or WWE, He’s Staying in Indie Wrestling

Joey Ryan announced tonight that he’s not going to AEW or WWE… He’s staying in indie wrestling.

Ryan had been promoting that he would announce his decision about his future tonight at a show for Bar Wrestling (which Ryan founded) in Baldwin Park, CA.

After a loss against Priscilla Kelly in the main event, Ryan got on the mic in the ring and had this to say:

When my Lucha Underground contract ended, I started getting so many offers and different people wanting me and it felt great to be the hottest free agent in wrestling.

It was kinda like Aladdin with the three wishes. He wanted to be a prince, but he had to learn that he just had to be true to himself.

So after negotiating these offers, I came to the realization that if I go exclusive, this incarnation of Joey Ryan goes away forever.

When I announced that I was going to do this on May 30, I didn’t know my decision. The more I thought about it, the more I think independent wrestling and independent wrestling fans are the blonde girl I’ve been looking for on Being the Elite.

So for better or for worse, I choose you, independent wrestling. In independent wrestling, I might be a big fish in a small pond, but it’s my fucking pond.

Ryan reportedly turned down offers from both WWE and AEW. Some AEW contracts allow for certain wrestlers on the roster to wrestle indie dates (Joey Janela, MJF and others), but Ryan would have had to probably drastically reduce his dates at least and he wouldn’t have the freedom to do anything he wants.

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“I might be a big fish in a small pond but it’s my fucking pond.”

A post shared by Joey Ryan (@joeyryan) on May 31, 2019 at 12:33am PDT