Joey Janela Rips "Stale Ass" AEW Dark Format

Ex-AEW star Joey Janela has a good idea for what Dark SHOULD be...

Joey Janela AEW Dark
AEW

Former AEW wrestler Joey Janela's idea for what the promotion's Dark show should be sounds pretty great.

This Tuesday's edition of the YouTube series was highlighted by a main event pitting Rey Fenix against indie veteran AR Fox. Twitter user @DrainBamager uploaded a compilation of highlights from the high-flying bout, which Janela quote-tweeted, saying that matches like this are what Dark should be.

On top of calling the current format "stale *ss", Janela, in subsequent tweets, said that nobody wants to watch YouTube squash bouts in 2022, calling getting stuck in this cycle a reason for "talent degression."

AEW launched Dark in October 2019, doing so as a sister show to Dynamite on TNT. Uploaded to YouTube every week, Dark quickly settled into an enhancement bout groove, with the promotion routinely bringing freelancers in to put over established full-time stars. While deviations from this format do occasionally happen, Dark remains extremely squash-heavy.

AEW's other YouTube show, Dark: Elevation, is much the same.

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Janela starred in what is still Dark's most acclaimed match to date on 9 October 2019, facing Kenny Omega. The GCW mainstay's run with the Tony Khan-helmed promotion ended when his contract expired this May.

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Channel Manager

Andy has been with WhatCulture for eight years and is currently WhatCulture's Wrestling Channel Manager. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.