Joey Ryan is officially stepping back into the wrestling ring for the first time since 2020, marking a return many fans and wrestlers thought would never happen.
Portland Wrestling announced on Facebook that the 45-year-old will appear at their August 23 event in Vancouver, Washington. The promotion didn’t shy away from the baggage tied to Ryan’s name, instead leaning into the controversy by promoting his return as a rebirth.
“Exiled from the sport he loves in 2020, Joey Ryan is Born Again,” the promotion wrote in its post.
Ryan was a fixture on the independent scene and had stints with WWE, Ring of Honor, NWA, and TNA Wrestling. But his wrestling career came to a halt during the #SpeakingOut movement in 2020, when multiple allegations of sexual misconduct surfaced against him. These accusations, made by several women, included stories of inappropriate conduct and coercion.
He denied the allegations and filed defamation lawsuits against several of his accusers, but the damage to his career was immediate. Ryan was blacklisted from nearly every promotion he had previously worked with and removed from event bookings across the country.
After vanishing from wrestling, Ryan resurfaced in 2022—this time in a much different setting. He was hired by Disneyland and worked as a handler on the Jungle Cruise attraction. However, that gig didn’t last long. Once Disney officials were made aware of the serious allegations tied to his name, Ryan was let go from the position.
Now, more than four years after his last match, Joey Ryan is preparing to climb back into the squared circle. Whether his return is meant to be a one-off or the beginning of a full comeback remains to be seen—but it’s already drawing attention and criticism.
With many still refusing to forget the allegations, Ryan’s re-entry into pro wrestling is already polarizing. The August 23rd event will likely be a litmus test for whether there’s any path forward for him in the industry he once called home.
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