Portland-area independent wrestling promotion Portland Wrestling: Reborn has officially canceled the scheduled appearance of Joey Ryan at their August 23, 2025 event in Vancouver, Washington, following a significant wave of backlash from fans, other wrestling promotions, and talent within the indie wrestling community. The decision comes just days after the promotion initially announced Ryan’s involvement, sparking outrage due to his history of multiple sexual misconduct allegations stemming from the 2020 #SpeakingOut movement.

Joey Ryan, whose real name is Joseph Meehan, was once a prominent figure in professional wrestling, having competed in various companies including Impact Wrestling (formerly TNA), where he headlined multiple events. However, his career abruptly ended in 2020 when seventeen different women accused him of serious sexual misconduct, including allegations of sexual assault, grooming underage girls, and unwanted advances. Ryan denied these accusations but was promptly released from Impact Wrestling and has largely remained absent from the wrestling world since then. (The Ring Report)

Portland Wrestling: Reborn had provocatively billed their August event under the tagline “Exiled from the sport he loved in 2020 … Joey Ryan is Born Again,” signaling an attempt to reintegrate Ryan into the scene. This move was met with immediate backlash both online and offline. Fightful reported that following the controversy, Portland Wrestling issued a succinct statement: “I have canceled Joey Ryan’s flight. He will not be appearing at the August 23rd show.” (Fightful)

Sources close to the promotion revealed to Wrestling Inc. that the backlash impacted not only public perception but also operational logistics. Several wrestlers and crew members withdrew from the event after being threatened with blackballing by rival promotion Prestige Wrestling, which organized a competing event on the same date expressly in protest of Ryan’s booking. Prestige Wrestling’s event is titled “FJR,” widely interpreted by fans as a direct condemnation—“F*** Joey Ryan.” According to an insider, the Portland Wrestling promoter lamented, “Prestige Wrestling’s promoter threatened to black ball every wrestler, trainer, and ring crew member who works with me, causing multiple wrestlers to drop out of the show and even the guy I was renting the ring from canceled the rental. We currently do not have a ring for a show taking place in less than three weeks.” (PWMania; ITRWrestling)

The counter-event by Prestige Wrestling stresses the importance of maintaining a safe and accountable space within the independent wrestling scene. In an official statement, Prestige declared, “If you’re on our shows and you willingly share this locker room, help set up at this show or are involved with this show you are getting pulled from all future bookings. So goddamn tired of this stuff. Gatekeep harder.” They further emphasized that their event will be “a night of safe space pro-wrestling action, for the scene, by the scene that helped cultivate modern day Portland wrestling,” and tickets will be donation-based with proceeds going to charity (Fightful).

Despite these efforts to bring Ryan back into the fold, industry insiders and observers remain highly skeptical about any future return for Joey Ryan. Since the allegations, Ryan has attempted limited comebacks, such as his controversial 2021 Wrestling 4 Women charity event, which faced widespread pushback and mass withdrawals by talent once his involvement was confirmed. Ryan has not wrestled since June 2020 and has mostly stayed silent publicly, only sparking more criticism each time he appears on social media (The Ring Report).

According to a WWE insider familiar with the independent wrestling circuits, “Joey Ryan remains one of the most toxic figures in the indies. There’s a complete consensus now among promoters that bringing him back, even as a draw, is too great a risk—not worth the potential damage to locker room morale or fanbase trust.” This viewpoint aligns with broader industry standards post-#SpeakingOut, where accountability and safety have become paramount.

The cancellation of Ryan’s appearance at Portland Wrestling: Reborn exemplifies a growing intolerance for controversial figures attempting returns without addressing past misconduct transparently or making amends. Wrestling fan communities and promotions alike are increasingly vigilant against actions perceived as dismissive of survivor experiences.

As of this article’s publication, Joey Ryan has not made any public comment regarding the cancellation or subsequent backlash. The evolving situation continues to highlight the challenges independent wrestling promotions face balancing talent bookings with community standards and ethical considerations.

For further updates on the wrestling indie scene and potential statements from Joey Ryan or Portland Wrestling, follow official channels and trusted news outlets like WWE.com, Fightful, and PWInsider.