wrestling / News

Joey Janela Shares Memories Of Meeting Virgil & Working With Him

February 28, 2024 | Posted by Jeremy Thomas
Virgil, Jake Roberts Image Credit: WWE

Joey Janela posted to social media to pay tribute to the late Virgil and recalled his experiences with the WWE alumnus. As reported, Virgil passed away on Wednesday at the age of 61. Janela posted to his Twitter account to remember Virgil, including first meeting him at 11 and working with him at Spring Break, plus more.

Janela wrote:

“Sad way to wake up this morning to find out my friend Michael “Virgil” Jones passed on to the great Olive Garden in the sky.

I met Virgil when I was 11 at an indie wrestling show, I walked up and said hello and he tried to finagle me for $20 a picture. I did not have any money but instead he said “Kid, hold my bag” fast forward 2 years later I walked into the Super Mega show toy convention and my friends dad went “Joey, that guy over there is calling your name. Too much confusion and surprise it was “WWF Superstar” Virgil some how he remembered me.

Many years later when we came up with the Spring Break show the first name that came to mind that we needed to get for this show was Virgil himself, which permanently cemented himself as a part of the Janelaverse forever!

I had many great times with Michael, he was one of the funniest characters I’ve ever met in the business and always meant well. From getting the promoter in England to fly him out on 2 days notice because we were drunk and I wanted to hang out with him which would be his last time across the pond, to bringing him to the AEW hotel to rib and annoy the boys. Virgil was always a team player and brought smiles to peoples faces.

But let’s not his contributions to the business back in the day as his act with the million dollar man Ted Dibiase and massive babyface turn is something very memorable and still talked about today. If you were in the business then or if you ran into virgil in the last 20 years you had a story that you’d remember forever.

I looked forward to seeing him this year in Philadelphia, but that sadly that won’t happen, but I have many memories with the Meatsauce god that will last a lifetime!

RIP VIRGIL!”

https://twitter.com/JANELABABY/status/1762916699165048984

article topics :

Joey Janela, Virgil, Jeremy Thomas