Just before Monday Night Raw hit the airwaves, indie star Joey Ryan announced on Twitter that his “time on the indies is coming to an end”, hinting that he’s signed with a company. He made the announcement while revealing a limited edition “Farewell to the Indies Tour” T-Shirt.
https://twitter.com/JoeyRyanOnline/status/1123010635216736258
Joey Ryan recently won a legal case, along with several other Lucha Underground stars, to get out of his “lifetime contract” with the TV show, and has long been rumored to be joining All Elite Wrestling (AEW), after appearing regularly on the Young Bucks’ Being The Elite web series and appearing at the Bucks and Cody Rhodes‘ indie Supercard All In last September.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBKRE8z_pA8
In a strange twist of events, it was reported by Dave Meltzer in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that WWE was interested in bringing Joey Ryan to the WWE Performance Center with the intent to use him in NXT and then transitioning to a coach at the PC after his career. “Ryan was not given an official offer as of earlier in the week but they contacted him after getting word he was a free agent when the word was out that he was let out of his LU contract, and asked if he was willing to move to Orlando, wrestle a few years there and then move into a coaching position,” Meltzer stated. “The way it was explained to us, was that he would have absolutely taken the offer if he was 29 years old, but at 39, taking a pay cut to start with WWE (or anyone offering less than what he’s already making) is probably something he’s not going to do.”
https://twitter.com/JoeyRyanOnline/status/1122929803638624257
Joey Ryan still has multiple dates left on his indie bookings, but don’t expect him to be at AEW’s Double or Nothing, as he’s currently booked to appear with Absolute Intense Wrestling (AIW) in Cleveland, Ohio that night.
