"I was kind of like the jobber" - Former AEW star on why Tony Khan didn't re-sign him
Alan Angels, a former member of the Dark Order, has opened up about his departure from Tony Khan's company.
Finding a wrestling promotion with a 100 percent happy roster lies purely on an imaginary axis. Tony Khan's locker room certainly isn't content, as it has been filled with drama and controversy in recent weeks. In the past, wrestlers like Joey Janela cited unhappiness with their position as the reason behind parting ways with AEW. Most recently, Bobby Fish departed from the Jacksonville-based promotion on the same grounds.
Alan Angels parted ways with AEW on June 30 when his AEW contract wasn't renewed. The former number 5 joined IMPACT Wrestling following his 2-year AEW run. Speaking on the Talk is Jericho podcast, Angels reflected upon being perceived as a bottom-level performer in AEW:
"I had built up a little bit of a following on the internet and stuff like that, but I feel like there was a perception of me. I know a lot of people hate this word, but, I was kind of like the jobber of the Dark Order, or the bottom guy on the Dark Order. I feel like when fans build up that perception of you it’s kind of hard to change that;” said Angels. (H/T: Sescoops)
The 24-year-old further spoke about wanting to break free of the jobber shackles:
"I think once that’s decided, once they get that, there’s no changing it. Unless, gradually you build up, build up, build up. But I feel like in AEW that would have taken a really long time, if that makes sense," he added.
First Stu, now 5. 😞
Dark Order continues to crumble…
Bryan Alvarez has confirmed Alan Angels’ AEW contract has expired.
His last match was a Pure Rules bout against Daniel Garcia during the most recent #AEWDark tapings that has yet to air.
https://t.co/bWvx4ye9lK
Alan Angels denied any hard feelings with Tony Khan
Angels made a splash on the indies before jotting down a deal with Tony Khan in 2020. While he eventually got lost in the shuffle, he had standout matches with stalwarts like Kenny Omega and Bryan Danielson.
The Georgia-born star took to Twitter to announce the end of his AEW run. Penning down a heartfelt note, Angels voiced gratitude towards the promotion:
"I am nothing but grateful for the two years I spent there. I love AEW. It was/is the best place ever to work. I got to wrestle some of the best wrestlers in the world on a weekly basis. There are no hard feelings between myself and AEW or Tony Khan," said Angels.
Time to grind. https://t.co/2KArNL3Wun
With six years of experience, the 24-year-old has immense potential to make it big in the wrestling realm. It will be interesting to see what he accomplishes under the IMPACT banner.
What's your take on Alan Angels' potential? Let us know in the comments section below!