News regarding Joey Janela having backstage heat in AEW

As previously noted, AEW star Joey Janela did an interview with Denise Salcedo. Janela addressed his contractual status and said that he wasn’t planning to sign a new contract with the company. Janela commented on the end of his time with AEW…

“I think they had plans for me, Tony [Khan] kept on saying ‘after this 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.”

Mike Johnson of PWInsider.com was able to confirm the Janela/Kingston situation with sources. Johnson wrote that “Janela’s suspicions were 100% right and that there was a lot of heat on him for the Kingston injury, as it prevented Kingston from traveling for several weeks and changed plans for TV and the Jericho feud as the promotion waited for Kingston to heal.” Johnson was also told that Janela is not expected to be utilized again prior to his contract expiring in late April.

The superkick in question from Janela to Kingston happens at around 53:24 in the video below…