Felix Upton on March 21, 2026
Joey Janela is speaking out after major backlash — and he’s defending both the controversial segment and his upcoming match with Brodie Lee Jr. at Spring Break X.
After the GCW segment involving the 14-year-old led to criticism, Janela addressed both the moment and the decision to wrestle him, making it clear he believes people are missing the bigger picture. Speaking on the Johnny I Pro Show on March 20, 2026, Janela first explained how the segment went off the rails — pointing to a key moment that wasn’t supposed to happen. He revealed that Cody Rhodes had given very specific instructions ahead of time about how the promo should be handled, especially when it came to language.
“Cody Rhodes hit us up with firm directions: do not have this kid use any explicit language… Cody watches over this kid like he’s a big brother… so Cody very delicately sent us some directions.”
Janela said the segment had been rehearsed multiple times to get it right — but things didn’t go as planned once they were live. According to him, Brodie Lee Jr. jumped ahead and delivered a line earlier than expected — which immediately changed the tone.
“We went over this promo a hundred times… you were like, ‘Wait till now to say this line.’ And he jumped the gun and said the line before he was supposed to say it.”
That’s when the moment escalated. Janela described how Brodie Lee Jr. went off-script and delivered the insult that triggered everything that followed. Janela made it clear that wasn’t part of the plan — and said he even reached out afterwards to make sure there was no misunderstanding.
“So he just went off the cuff and said… ‘Why don’t you stop being Megan and Bane’s b**** and fight me at Spring Break?’ I’m sorry, Cody. I apologize… I told Cody it wasn’t me… I told Brodie’s mom to tell Cody that wasn’t my idea… I’m not even trying to curse while building this match with this kid.”
That’s how the segment played out. But the bigger issue is the match itself — and that’s where Janela really pushed back on the criticism. He acknowledged that fans are calling it a bad idea, but said that kind of reaction isn’t new for him: “Some fans think it’s a very stupid idea. Every match that I’m in is very polarizing…”
Then he addressed the main criticism head-on — the idea that Brodie Lee Jr. is too young. Janela argued that fans are stuck on an outdated version of him from his early AEW days. He doubled down on that point, saying perception is the real problem.
“I wouldn’t say I consider him a child, though — he’s a teenager now… he’s way more advanced than people actually know or realize — not only in the ring, but maturity-wise. People… still see him as that little ‘Negative One’ kid… but he’s not that anymore. By the time he’s 20, he’s going to be taller than everyone.”
Janela isn’t backing off the match — he’s defending it, explaining how things unfolded, and making it clear he believes Brodie Lee Jr. is far more ready than fans think. But the reaction hasn’t gone away.
Do you think Joey Janela is right to defend this match, or does the backlash still make sense given Brodie Lee Jr.’s age? Let us know your thoughts and leave your feedback below.
Please credit Ringside News if you use the above transcript in your publication.
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