Joey Janela

[5.0] "When he is paired with excellent opponents, he can put out excellent fare. It's a backhanded compliment, I know. He is obviously very passionate on mic, but his build suffers from the deal that most deathmatch workers suffer from, & he seems to lack a basic sense of safety & smarts that I'd expect of anyone I'd comfortable rate a 6. You throw a living legend with everything you've got at a poorly-set up board against a poorly-set up barbed wire & you fully trust it to hold? Like really?"

[8.0] "He is a great deathmatch wrestler that is always willing to put his body on the line. He is a fairly good in ring performer and his promos are fairly good but nothing to special."

[5.0] "Joey is not a TV wrestler, and that's okay. He's the kind of wrestler who is meant to tour and wrestle in front of live audiences. He isn't the best character nor is he the best wrestler, but he always brings fun to whatever city he visits. I am a huge fan of Joey, but he's someone I like watching in person once a year. I don't need to see any more of them than the once a year I see him, and that's totally okay. He's an attraction wrestler, in that he'll probably do some really cool hardcore shit for you when he comes to your town. I wouldn't mind seeing him get some one-off opportunities in AEW or TNA here and there. His matches with Jon Moxley, Hangman Page, Darby & Havoc, and Kenny Omega are proof that he can give you a great match. Some wrestlers are meant for touring, and for people to see them when they come to town, and some are meant for everyone to watch them weekly on TV. Joey is the former, and that's not a bad thing. He knows what he's good at, and he knows what he's not good at. He never pretends to be something he's not, and I love that about him."

[5.0] "Great bumper but quite a boring deathmatch wrestler who doesn't bring a whole lot of unique wrestling"

[4.0] "While I don't have an apoplectic fit of rage over Joey Janela like it does for some people, but I definitely am not a fan of his aside from 2 matches or something, which are only because of who he faces. I do feel bad for him that Jim Cornette's audience harasses him endlessly for merely existing, however."

[4.0] "Don't get it at all. He's not a total scrub I just find him so vanilla and so boring. I find him more interesting as a person just talking about wrestling than I find him interesting as a wrestler. Even seeing what people consider to be his best matches, I'm completely lost at what gives him any appeal. I give him credit for what he's willing to put his body through for the love of wrestling in all of his deathmatches, but I just don't get it with this guy."

[10.0] "A guy who put GCW on his back and made it the biggest indie in the world. Forget what the haters say. You don't start the most popular independent show of Wrestlemania weekend and get a spot on All In and be one of the first signees to AEW because you suck. Joey can sell tickets, so who cares if he's not Zack Sabre Jr. I can't wait to see him and Tanaka in January."

[2.0] "Joey Janela is somebody who is 1000% aware that wrestling is often silly and ridiculous, and having somebody to a meta character based off of that is not entirely a bad thing. HOWEVER When you are basically doing that your entire career and just put on horrible to decent matches that are packed full of meaningless nonsense, it really does detract from everything you're doing as well as everybody else in the business. I do not like being mean, but I don't understand how Janela was seen as such a big and important star in the world of wrestling. Dude was signed to AEW on day one for pete's sake. I don't get it"

[9.0] "Super over on the indies despite what his detractors say. Great entrance and vibe. Tailor made for the indies. One of the most creative wrestlers out there. Always down for a crazy bump and is often the most memorable part of the show. His Kavinsky theme is one of the most iconic themes on the indies the last decade."

[7.0] "More of a fit for the indies with crazier spot matches and bumps. His in-ring action is good, but his matches can lack psychology. He can get over with a crowd and talk on the mic. He can be comedic at times but can also have more serious matches. His AEW run proves that while he excels on the indies he might not fit in at larger promotions."

[3.0] "He's the sort of wrestler that will be in a match where he opponents works a body parts for 6-7 mins, but then not sell that damage at any other point in the match. He also takes huge bumps that make him look good for taking them instead of making his opponent look good for giving them. Whether he wins or loses has no connection to the match he just wrestled. Avoid his matches."

[10.0] "Janela is the king of the independents. I've seen him live a number of times and he always puts on a great show. Watch Janela vs. JT Dunn from GCW's first show in Providence. Janela is one of the busiest travelers currently working the indies. He's put on stellar matches for GCW, DDT, BZW, WSW, etc. all in the past year or so. Hoping to see him beat Blake Christian for the GCW World Championship. Janela deserves it."

[8.0] "I mean this in the nicest way possible - Joey is built to be an indie wrestler. He thrives when it comes to having creative freedom and having longer, chaotic matches not stunted by ad breaks. He's not perfect, but I genuinely feel like he's always "must-see" and will give you your moneys worth every time."

[9.0] "One of my favorites easily. One of the most creative minds and a deeply underrated worker. I don't get when people say he's all gimmick, he's spent 2022 having numerous 20+ minute barnburners. His match with Speedball Bailey is one of my favorites of the year so far. As far as I'm concerned, if you don't like Joey, you don't like wrestling."

[8.0] "Anyone that rates Joey low is out to lunch. This cat is so talented & versatile. One of the very best unsigned talents in the world. He can do it all. Whether it is straight up wrestling brawling hardcore high flying deathmatch it does not matter. Joey can do it & do it well!"

"From what I remember, he's a solid wrestler that got a lot of praise for protecting his opponents from injury. There's a certain layer to his cadence that just seems off in terms of personality..."

[8.0] "Good worker, great at the deathmatch style. Definitely gets too much hate for someone who does his job pretty well. Very funny as well. Wished he did more In aew but alas the past is the past and you gotta move on. Glad hes still doing stuff in the indies and GCW"

[4.0] "Janela is your typical crash dummy, he's just there because he likes to do dumb stuff, like being thrown off a roof into a car. He's also the guy who get in the ring to fight an invisible man, and also the one who lights his own footh on fire to kick his opponent. In other words, he is not good..."

[1.0] "As much as people love to complain about the WWE system, at least there is professionalism and order there. True it might all be about the money and appealing to the target demographics, but at least there is polish. Joey Janela is the antithesis of professional. The guy has heart and spirit, give him that. But does he have the business mind and willingness to improve himself? Does he want to put in the work to round out his skill-set and be the big dog? No. He's a goofy goober, and there are no signs of the goofy goober facial expressions ever stopping anytime soon. We're talking about him sure, but it isn't for the right reasons. The comedy bits fall flat, the bodily harm is just depressing, an overall bummer. 1.8/10 for Joey Janela. A wrestler strictly for the reddit.com community."

[9.0] "Reinventing himself after leaving AEW, Joey Janela likes to make sure people are talking about him by doing a great job in the ring. Very happy to have the opportunity to see him wrestle at BodyZoï Wresting in Belgium, this is the style Europe needed to make wrestling more famous."

[9.0] "this guy is amazing. I saw them twice in Belgium the first time against MBM it was a crazy match 40min of pure happiness and the 2nd time against Aigle a more classic match but as great and now he is champion in Belgium so can't wait to see him again soon here"

[7.0] "Wow he went downhill after AEW. I like Janela but christ is he inconsistent, he's got a great character and can work when he wants too, but he's kinda lazy. He's not in the best shape but he's not like Mean Mitch Page, people are kinda weird about his image and I dont think that's ok."

[5.0] "A decent wrestler has some great skills but some of his matches lack what he has, he holds back on many occasions and instead goes for the comedy approach in wrestling while on other occasions this dude has all the skills to go far in a major promotion if he drops the comedy act he will become a massive star in tna, wwe, aew or nwa."

[6.0] "Joey Janela represents the best and worst of indie wrestling. Spot fests, comedy, death matches, huge social media presence, wrestling in every continent, eternal hatred from Jim Cornette, the occasional actually serious match? If you're looking for a guy who has done it all, look no further. While I can't say I'm a big fan, I'd be lying if I said I never found him entertaining. The "big leagues" weren't and will never be a good fit for him, but maybe that's okay for him"

[5.0] "Difficult for me to rate. Did some decent promo and character work in AEW...and he had some good matches when paired up with high level partners. But seems like a free spirit who just needs to roam the world and do crazy shit until the day he injures himself too badly to continue. I have nothing against the "mudshow" type of wrestling, and he's clearly built a career on it, even though it isn't really for me. Certainly his career potential has peaked however."

[7.0] "Joey Janela is back to being who he should be - a globe-trotting indy sleazeball dabbling in all styles of the sport. In 2022 alone he's been doing his thing in the US, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Belgium, and Australia, had plenty of matches with established, high-level workers, done some deathmatches, been a part of some strange and goofy stuff, maintains a presence on social media + the microphone, and is a competent promoter. Weekly US TV is a a cage for Joey, he doesn't belong there. He's a weird wild animal who needs to roam."

"I would definitely pound White Claws with Joey Janella while doing donuts in the Buc-ees parking lot."

[2.0] "Not very good. His character only works when doing dumb over the top stunts and nobody would ever talk about him if not for those dumb stunts. He is just an attention seeker and not a good pro wrestler."

"His time in AEW and his teaming with Sonny Kiss left much to be desired, but he's not a horrible wrestler. I just don't think AEW was the right company for him. In fact, I don't think any major company is. Janela should just stay on the indies, where he should be. It's not that he doesn't deserve to be in the major companies. They just don't suit him."

[4.0] "Just very very very average. Not spectacular in the ring and his character is alright, albeit a little annoying at times."

"I think the sheer number of haters in the comments should speak for itself: the guy is charismatic, magnetic and draws so much heat. Truly one of the under-appreciated wrestlers of our time. People saying no psychology can't be paying attention. Janela rules!"

[1.0] "Joey Janela is an awful, awful wrestler. No psychology, no storytelling. Covers up his lack of wrestling ability with ridiculous hardcore matches in Garbage Championship Wrestling or whatever it's called. No charisma or promo ability. Terrible, terrible look. I don't care about body shape but you could at least try to look like less of a bum. Underneath that terrible beard and long greasy hair looks like a decent enough guy. One of the low points of AEW's beginnings. Just a terrible wrestler all around."

[2.0] "(Revised rating): Used to like Janela. If he spent more time on working on his craft instead of goofing off in the ring then maybe he'd be making more money in the industry. Decent wrestler on his day, though."

"Actual joke for a professional wrestler. His wrestling skills are mediocre at best with little to any wrestling psychology. overall Joey Janela is one of the worst wrestlers ever. I question why AEW even decided to hire someone so garbage like Janela."

[10.0] "People have been claiming that Joey's time is up - When in reality he only returned to what he cares about most. His return to the indie scene has been nothing short of a continuous success. Constantly putting over rising stars, finally getting legit with his physique, and sticking to his "promotional foundation" is creating a combination that shows firsthand Joey has bought back into HIS brand. Controversial-sure, but go talk to the guy... Nice as shit. I make sure I get to any promotion when I see Joey on card now... he's only been getting better."

[2.0] "Without a shadow of a doubt, Joey Janela is one of my least favorite wrestlers to watch on the planet. His brand of entertainment is so far away from what I enjoy that I find it a chore to ever watch him."

[0.0] "Single. Worst. Performer. In. AEW. First and probably only zero I will give on this site. Why' Because Janela is the biggest joke of a wrestler wrestling has seen in years. Horrid physique, awful look, fake as hell character, more like a coward if anything, and his in-ring skills are the worst. There's a reason you see him and Sonny Kiss pretty much exclusively on Dark, even AEW is ashamed that they hired these goofs. Things like him vs the invisible man or stan or whatever are the reasons why no outsiders to pro wrestling are willing to give it a try. Wasn't professionally trained and this numbnut thinks it's something to boast about. Buddy, you CAN'T wrestle. Stick to debating trolls on Twitter and wrestling in GCW, because it'll mean I will see less of you on my screen."

[6.0] "My AEW guilty pleasure. Every match of his looks like a car wreck, fun to watch but it's a bad, bad match. Nonetheless, he has many, many flaws, and he's suitable for the indies, not AEW. Sometimes way over the top, some of his stuff looks way too fake. The aesthetics of him are great though."

"He really doesn't fit in the big leagues, he's a lazy wrestler as it seems and you can't really believe he was a main event in the start, I don't know if he is lazy or moody or he can't come up with something good enough."

[5.0] "I am not really sure he fits in a company like AEW where his unique creativity struggles to find the space to flourish. His spring break shows are usually fun, I doubt he will be in AEW after his contract finishes and he will be back in GCW having far more fun."

[10.0] "The guy scrapped and clawed from the bottom and now has a show named after and produced by him that is now the most attended non-WWE event of WrestleMania weekend. He can wrestle with the best of them anyway, but his vision, creativity, and ability to get people to talk about him (look at how polarizing he is here) shows that he gets professional wrestling much better than the people who continuously slag him."

[9.0] "I see many users saying that his skills are mediocre, nothing offensive but nothing impressive at the same time. I would definitely rate his in rim skills as over average, he might not be the perfect technical wrestler or an astonishingly agile high flyer, but he is a risk taker and a moment maker. Plus he has a great and creative mind for this business, as another comment mentions. His promos and presence are a rarity."

[10.0] "Joey Janela is the king. You can see all the hate for him here alone, but that's simply because people don't get that when you're with Joey. you're with him 110%. The guy didn't organically build THE WrestleMania weekend show that at this point would outdraw IMPACT or ROH because he sucks; he got to the big leagues because he's got one of the most creative minds in the business. Bad Boy For Life"

[5.0] "I get it, but at the same time I don't think I have ever really enjoyed a Joey Janela match in full. He's not as menacing as Nick Gage, he's not as psycho as Jimmy Havoc, he's not as charismatic as Sandman or New Jack, and he's not as polished as (fully prime) Sabu or Super Dragon."

[3.0] "Never enjoyed Janela on the indies and he's been a major disappointment whenever on screen in AEW, takes away from Sonny Kiss whenever they tag and he's put on nothing but mediocre singles contests for over a year."

[5.0] "Joey is nothing special, but he's not terrible. He's kind of average at everything, maybe a bit below. But he's also not terrible at anything, so he has that going for him. He has surprisingly wholesome chemistry with Sonny Kiss, and their tag team has made them both fairly entertaining to watch. I wouldn't pay to see him specifically, but I also wouldn't fast forward his matches."

[7.0] "Joey Janela hasn't done a bad job in AEW. He's a solid wrestler and has entertaining car crash matches. Cuts a solid promo. He doesn't look like a star, but he's a likeable everyman sorta person. He reminds me of a lot of ECW wrestlers, where their flaws could be overlooked because of how hard they worked to entertain, even without an amazing physique On another note, the fact that someone ranked him low because he didn't get into a fist fight with Enzo Amore is pathetic."

[1.0] "I have no idea why JJ has a job with the second biggest wrestling company in the US. Everything about his look is terrible I dont think it would harm him to visit a gym once in a while. His garbage style of wrestling is suited to his backyard."

[0.0] "how the hell are you gonna be a "bad boy" when you walk away from a fight with enzo amore? joey janella is a poser and a chump. jinder mahal has more skill in his pinky than this loser has in his whole body. he's a joke and a disgrace to pro wrestling."

[2.0] "i give every new wrestler i come across a chance but i dont understand Janela. has no build, no height, no technical ability and isnt very good on the mic. The reason i am giving him a 2 and not a 1 is because he is brave and will jump off high things but that dosnt make you a wrestler. Not everyone who AEW signed was going to turn out well."