10 Wrestlers Who Could Leave AEW In 2022
3. Joey Janela
Another 2019 AEW signing, Joey Janela recently told Barstool Sports' Robbie Fox that his three-year deal with the promotional expires this May, adding that he "really has to step it up."
As with MJF's current shtick about "the bidding war of 2024", it's likely that Janela was at least partly working here. He's a smart, savvy guy who knows how to get people talking. Making such comments immediately sparks speculation (and inclusion on lists like this one), though his expiring contract, current situation, and commitments outside of AEW make him a believable departure as well.
Professionally, Janela wouldn't exactly be destroyed if he left AEW. Despite being inked to Tony Khan's company, he remains one of the most influential figures on the independent circuit over the past decade or so, regularly competing at the highest freelance level while also playing a key behind-the-scenes role for GCW. In terms of what he generates in buzz and does for the promotion when the cameras aren't rolling, it's possible that without Joey's efforts, Game Changer may not have yet cemented itself as America's third-biggest company.
Janela's TNT usage rates have dropped off as well. A Dark/Elevation regular who just concluded a long-running feud with Sonny Kiss, he has never worked Rampage and last appeared on Dynamite in May 2021.