10 Most Controversial Wrestlers On The Planet Right Now
7. Joey Janela
Just this week, Joey Janela took to Twitter to reveal that his car had been broken in into. It was very on-brand; Janela draws controversy, even when he isn't actively trying.
Janela infamously took one of the most psycho bumps in CZW's outrageous history to announce himself in the viral sphere, following which he has redefined Independent wrestling with his absolutely inspired approach to nostalgia: he has a knack for determining which wrestlers never went away, but were in fact cryogenically frozen in something wonderfully close to their prime. Wrestling and booking invisible men, bilateral amputees, and guys from the 1980s who can still go to *** standard, Janela has diversified the niche scene, which now flourishes under the sort of irony that inspires conniption fits in the old guard.
That old guard loathes 'Jelly' Janela for his absurd stunts, outwardly disrespectful attitude and doughy physique, which you expect he maintains, ahead of his move to the mainstream, purely to piss them off.
Author's take: The man retrieved a tennis racket from under the ring at AEW All Out, pulled an hilarious expression of disgust, and tossed it aside as the symbol of old values it is. Hate him or not, there's an inspired poetry to his philosophy. He's a rebel, but he's creative as hell with it.
He's also a great wrestler. The substance helps put over his vogue, '80s-inspired presentation.