WWE Offer to Joey Ryan Rumored to be ‘Nothing Special,’ WWE Wants Keep Ryan Away From AEW

– As previously reported, Joey Ryan announced that his time on the wrestling independent scene is coming to an end, and he was promoting a “farewell tour.” This comes after a report that Joey Ryan was rumored to be in talks with WWE to join NXT and possibly become a coach in NXT later on. During today’s The Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer discussed on where Ryan will go next, saying that WWE is potentially making a play against AEW by trying to acquire Joey Ryan.

According to Meltzer, he never heard of WWE contacting Ryan at all for 10 years, until last week when it was noted Joey Ryan got his Lucha Underground release. Also, Meltzer noted that Ryan is all over Being the Elite, where most of the featured talent on that show is signed to All Elite Wrestling. However, Ryan is the only personality who appears on Being the Elite and isn’t signed to a long-term contract with a wrestling promotion or AEW yet.

It seems WWE’s interest in Ryan is to take him off the board and take a potential asset away from AEW and Being the Elite. Meltzer stated, “He wouldn’t be all over that thing [Being the Elite], if AEW — those guys didn’t have ideas of where they were going with him and ideas for him. But he’s not signed, so now WWE can take a guy in the middle of those storylines.”

Additionally, Meltzer stated that he got the impression that the offer put forth to Ryan by WWE was “nothing special.” Meltzer added that the WWE deal offered to Ryan “wouldn’t put him on the main roster.” He reinforced that this is a case of machinations between AEW and WWE, and WWE wanting to “ice” Ryan and keep him away from AEW.

Ryan has not yet announced where he will be going next after his farewell tour.