Joey Janela Addresses Facing Sabu in His Final Match, Fans Blaming Him for Sabu’s Passing

During a recent interview with Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp, wrestler Joey Janela discussed facing hardcore wrestling legend Sabu, who passed away earlier in May. Janela faced Sabu in the wrestler’s final match at GCW Joey Janela’s Spring Break 9.

Sabu won the bout, passing away a few weeks later. Janela came under scrutiny after Sabu’s passing due to a story by Yahoo! Sports’ Uncrowned, in which Janela stated that Sabu’s knee was locking up two hours before the show, and that Sabu was given kratom, a stimulant that can provide more energy and reduce pain at higher doses.

When Janela’s comments raised questions from fans of why the match was allowed to go forward, Janela claimed that Sabu’s team gave him the kratom. Janela also said at the time, “Sabu was a grown man, he did what he had to do to get out there. I took care of him to the best of my ability, I didn’t think what happened half way through would happen, it was all to get him one great payday and one last shine in the spotlight.”

During his conversation with Sapp, Janela reflected on wrestling Sabu and fans blaming him for Sabu’s passing. Below are some highlights from Fightful:

Janela on the Uncrowned Interview Being a Mistake and His Relationship With Sabu’s Family

“I’m surprised no one said, ‘You killed Sabu!’ It was a bad thing. People still believe it. I see it every day on the internet. We did that interview with Yahoo! and Phil [Schneider] two days after the Sabu match and it was just bad judgment all around. They put it out the day after his death. For them, they saw a gold mine in that interview, Yahoo. It’s not even Phil’s fault. He just wrote a story. I was trying to add to the Sabu lore, ‘He woke up from the thing.’ Sabu is Sabu. Sabu wrestled like Sabu every Sabu match and Sabu went out like Sabu. That’s all I’m gonna say and I’m gonna say that his family’s been very kind to me. I’ve been to two of his memorials. I spoke at two of his memorials. I talk to his sister all the time. I talk to his nephews. They’re coming to watch me in Detroit next weekend for GCW. Robin and Dan’s been kind to me. They know what we did for Sabu. They know what I did for Sabu. They know that I love Sabu and I would never hurt Sabu.”

Joey Janela on Sabu Falling to the Floor Wrapped in Barb Wire Being a Mistake

“That barbed wire, him falling almost nearly to his doom during that match ah was a total mistake. I was actually looking out for Sabu because I didn’t want to whip him into the post, the barbed wire board on the post and him whack his head on the post. So I moved it to the ropes and unfortunately the rope didn’t support Sabu, and Sabu was Sabu. That’s all I’m gonna say. Sabu was Sabu, Sabu went out like Sabu, Sabu showed up like Sabu and I just want to clear the air right now. I’m not sticking up for Brett Lauderdale. He should be paying me more money every show. Brett Lauderdale didn’t see Sabu until Sabu was in gorilla position ready to go out for the match. Sabu showed up two hours into the show because whatever, his feet were bleeding, his knees were locked. Whatever I said, you’ll see that in the documentary that’s coming out about Sabu. But Brett saw Sabu and what he saw was Sabu, so he can [not] at all take the blame for anything that I said or whatever he said to you guys he was embarrassed, whatever, I don’t know. We had our talk about that whole situation but the people that saw Sabu was me because I called a match with him and it was Sabu’s match and Sabu, we knew that we were gonna do, what we did out there that night and it was awesome. It was the best way to send out Sabu and no one was gonna do it but me. That’s my hero.”

His Response to Anyone Who Blames Him for Sabu’s Passing

“I mean, he was going to almost no-show his own retirement match, but his team got him there and also he had a whole camera crew on him for months. So who knows what Sabu was doing. Sabu was Sabu 24 seven. So if there’s cameras on Sabu, Sabu is being Sabu in that Sabu, kayfabe universe. This is the record for most times Sabu has been said in an interview. Because I’ve said it probably 83 times the last three minutes. If you blame me in any way for Sabu’s death—it’s the biggest rib that’s been ever played on me because Sabu’s laughing like, ‘You didn’t kill me motherfucker, I killed myself.’ But Sabu is Sabu. There was EMTs at that show, they checked on Sabu. Sabu didn’t even have a concussion. So if you blame me for Sabu’s death, jokes on me. At this point, I think it’s kinda charming. I don’t know, because this is my favorite wrestler of all time, Sabu. Sabu is the man, RIP, to the fucking goat.”

Sabu was 60 years old at the time of his passing.