Joey Janela Cuts Ties With Orange Crush, Citing Younger Talent

Joey Janela says he’s done working with Orange Crush in any capacity, expanding on issues that first surfaced earlier this week when he announced that he and Megan Bayne would no longer be curating their PRODUCE event in September.

Janela had used social media to reveal the change to PRODUCE’s September show, a signal that something had shifted behind the scenes with Orange Crush. He has now made clear that the fallout goes beyond just stepping away from that specific event — he intends to sever his relationship with the promotion entirely going forward.

As for why, Janela has framed it in terms of wanting to protect and champion up-and-coming wrestlers, saying he wants to look out for the younger generation. That framing suggests his issues with Orange Crush centered on how the promotion treats or utilizes newer talent, though the specifics of what prompted the split haven’t been laid out in detail.

Janela has long positioned himself as a hybrid figure in independent wrestling — a performer who wrestles, but who has also taken on booking and curation roles, most notably with PRODUCE alongside Megan Bayne. That show has built a reputation on the indie circuit for showcasing a mix of established names and rising stars, so Janela stepping back from a piece of it, and now cutting ties with Orange Crush altogether, is notable for anyone tracking who controls bookings and opportunities on the independent scene.

Orange Crush has carved out its own space in the crowded independent wrestling landscape, and losing a vocal advocate like Janela — someone with real credibility among younger wrestlers looking to break in — is the kind of thing that can affect a promotion’s standing with talent even if it doesn’t make headlines in the mainstream wrestling world. Janela’s comments about looking out for the next generation echo a sentiment he’s expressed before about using his platform to elevate wrestlers who might not otherwise get a fair shake in how they’re booked or compensated.

What remains to be seen is whether this rift leads to further public comments from either side, or whether other names tied to PRODUCE or Orange Crush weigh in. For now, the clearest takeaway is that Janela is stepping fully away from Orange Crush, with PRODUCE’s September event no longer under his and Bayne’s curation as the most concrete casualty of the split so far.

Independent wrestling thrives on these kinds of relationships between promoters, curators, and talent, and any crack in that structure tends to ripple outward. Janela’s decision to publicly frame his exit around protecting younger wrestlers gives the situation a clear narrative, even as many of the finer details remain unaddressed.