Unsanctioned Match: Joey Janela vs. Jon Moxley
After making huge waves with his appearance at Double or Nothing, the time has come for Jon Moxley to compete in an AEW ring. And man is this ever a crazy way to debut someone… going for a dream match for any hardcore hardcore wrestling fan (that is to say, a hardcore fan of hardcore wrestling) right off the bat like this. This one was originally set to be a regular match, but with the promos between the two becoming all the more heated, that was changed. It’s now an Unsanctioned match, effectively letting people know that AEW can’t be held accountable for what happens here. What that means… is this will not be a match for the faint of heart.
We’re not just looking at two modern day hardcore legends here, but two deathmatch legends, which is… quite a step further. I’ll be shocked if this isn’t bloody, and I certainly wouldn’t be shocked it became difficult to watch. But it will be a spectacle, no doubt about that. If you ask me, odds are very good this match will turn Janela into an indy sensation to a mainstream marvel.
You can see a video recapping the build to this match here:
The build has seen Moxley call attention to Janela’s claims of wanting to die in a wrestling ring, suggesting that he be careful what he wishes for. In his first major match stateside, his AEW debut match, there’s no way Mox is gonna bring anything other than a firestorm of fury into that ring. He created a huge amount of buzz with his unforgettable introduction at Double or Nothing, and he’s not about to derail that with a subpar showing at Fyter Fest.
For Janela, he’s in a one on one match against the hottest star in wrestling right now, and he’ll have more eyes on him than ever before in this match. If over 100,000 people bought Double or Nothing, one can only imagine how many will be tuning into a totally free AEW show of this caliber. His spot at All-In was huge for him but that’s obscure by comparison, there couldn’t possibly be a better spotlight for him than this match and he needs to make as big an impression as possible.
That… is a bit of a scary prospect in this case.
It’s concerning to think about that when you’re talking about a guy who clearly will do anything to make a splash and leave a mark. In fact, we’re talking about two such guys. Moxley too has been on record to say he’ll take any bump asked of him, and if he dies in the ring, he’ll go down as a legend for it. There are honestly more similarities between the two than there are differences.
I don’t think I’ll be giving a particularly hot take with my pick for the winner here. In spite of Janela’s claim that he’s the one with everything to lose, he can only reasonably gain from this match and he certainly doesn’t have to win to do it. With a huge match with Omega at All Out on the horizon, Jon Moxley will defeat Janela here… in this standard match, which may well leave the question of who would win in a more hardcore setting hanging in the air.
AEW Fyter Fest takes place on June 29th, and will be streamed for free for US viewers on B/R Live for all those who sign up. The rest of the world will be able to purchase the event on Fite.tv.
For previews on the rest of the show, check out the links below:
Michael Nakazawa vs. Alex Jebailey
SCU vs. Private Party vs. Best Friends
Jungle Boy vs. MJF vs. Jimmy Havoc vs. Hangman Page
Yuka Sakazaki vs. Riho vs. Nyla Rose
Kenny Omega & The Young Bucks vs. Laredo Kid & The Lucha Bros
