Joey Ryan’s return to professional wrestling didn’t even last a day. Just hours after Portland Wrestling announced the controversial wrestler would be stepping back into the ring for their August 23 show in Vancouver, Washington, the promotion pulled the plug.
Portland Wrestling initially promoted Ryan’s appearance as a redemptive moment, writing on Facebook:
“Exiled from the sport he loves in 2020, Joey Ryan is Born Again.”
But following immediate backlash, the promotion issued a follow-up statement confirming that Ryan would no longer be part of the event.
“I have canceled Joey Ryan’s flight. He will not be appearing at the August 23rd show.”
No additional explanation was given, but the message was loud and clear: fans—and likely talent—weren’t ready to welcome Ryan back.
Ryan was effectively blacklisted from the wrestling world in 2020 during the #SpeakingOut movement, when multiple women came forward with allegations of sexual misconduct. Accusations against him ranged from inappropriate behavior to coercion. Though Ryan denied the claims and filed several defamation lawsuits, the fallout was swift. Promotions across the industry severed ties with him, and he was removed from all scheduled bookings.
After leaving wrestling behind, Ryan reappeared in 2022 as a Jungle Cruise cast member at Disneyland. That job didn’t last either. Once Disney was made aware of his past, he was fired.
The now-canceled Portland Wrestling appearance was supposed to be his first match in over four years. Instead, it became a reminder of just how far his reputation has fallen—and how unforgiving the wrestling world can be when it comes to unresolved allegations.
Do you think there’s any path back into wrestling for Joey Ryan, or is the door permanently closed? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.