Sonny Kiss Addresses Joey Janela And The Rhodes’ AEW Exits

Sonny Kiss recently appeared on the FaceTurn show on Pro-Wrestling Illustrated's YouTube. In the interview the AEW talent discussed her feelings about the departure of some of her biggest supporters, namely Joey Janela and Cody & Brandi Rhodes.

"Two of my very favorite people are no longer there," Kiss said, "and that's Joey Janela and Cody Rhodes, and Brandi of course, Brandi is 'Queen B,' love Queen B."

Janela's departure was described as especially "tough," with Kiss mentioning how the two had been tied together from almost the start.

"Joey leaving, kinda definitely gave me an like a 'OK, what's happening?' because we had our long rivalry, and we were kinda like in a marriage in our careers." Kiss was talking about the ill-fated tag team that both wrestlers formed in March of 2020. "Whether we were a tag team or feuding, it was like a marriage. So him leaving was like 'Ok well what about me? What's gonna happen to me?'"

Kiss felt that losing Janela and The Rhodes both was a blow backstage, as they were allies that "really, really wanted Sonny Kiss, the brand, to be well known, recognized, a force to be reckoned with, tough." Kiss went on to describe how they helped her evolve the Concrete Rose into the Beautiful Badass.

Kiss was one of AEW's first signees when the company was announced in early-2019. Cody & Brandi Rhodes left AEW in February of this year. Cody has since returned to WWE, where he recently wrestled against Seth Rollins. Joey Janela's contract with the company expired in May and was not renewed. Janela has since returned to a full-time schedule with GCW.