Joey Ryan Makes Wrestling Return After Five-Year Hiatus Following Fraud Allegations

Joey Ryan is set to make his wrestling ring return for the first time since 2020.

Portland Wrestling announced on Facebook that the 45-year-old wrestler will participate in an event on August 23rd in Vancouver, Washington. The promotion chose to acknowledge the controversy surrounding Ryan without shying away from it, branding his comeback as a “rebirth.”

“Joey Ryan, who was exiled from the sport he cherished in 2020, is reborn.” The promotion stated in their post.

Ryan was a prominent figure in the independent wrestling circuit, having worked with WWE, Ring of Honor, NWA, and TNA Wrestling. However, his career came to a halt during the 2020 #SpeakOut Movement due to multiple allegations of sexual misconduct brought forward by several women, which included accusations of inappropriate behavior and coercive actions.

Though he denied these allegations and filed defamation lawsuits against some of his accusers, the damage to his reputation was swift and severe. Ryan was subsequently blacklisted from almost every promotion he had been associated with and removed from bookings across the country.

After a period of absence from wrestling, Ryan reemerged in 2022, albeit in a very different role. He was briefly employed by Disneyland as a handler for a jungle cruise attraction, but was let go after Disney learned of the serious allegations against him.

Now, over four years after his last match, Joey Ryan is preparing to return to the wrestling scene. It’s yet to be determined whether this return will be a one-time event or signify a full comeback, but it has already attracted both attention and criticism.

The discussion surrounding Ryan’s return is highly polarized, as many people still remember the allegations against him. The upcoming event on August 23rd could serve as a crucial test of whether he has a future in the industry he once dominated.