Joey Ryan Reactivates Social Media Accounts, Releases Video Denying Sexual Assault Allegations
Joey Ryan has reactivated his social media accounts and released the above video of him denying the recent sexual assault allegations against him. Due to the allegations, Ryan was released from Impact Wrestling and closed down his promotion, BAR Wrestling.
The video begins with Joey Ryan explaining that this video is for the fans that are still showing him support to this "very day." As reported, one of the allegations is from a wrestler named Corinne Mink. She said she was once picked up by Joey Ryan up from an airport for a show and he groped her while she was driving.
"This video is for the fans of mine who have shown me support throughout the years and continue to show me support to this very day," said Ryan. "I feel like I owe you a bit of clarity so that you don't have to feel any guilt and you don't have to feel any shame from giving me your support."
"The reason I've been silent thus far is that my therapist asked me to take a mental health break from social media and my attorney asked me not to comment on any of the allegations because of the severity of some of them until he had a chance to review them and review all of the evidence that I have to dispute them. And since no legal action is being taken, I'm going to address them in this video."
Joey calls the allegations against him fabricated just for the #SpeakingOutMovement. He's been attending therapy every week since the separation of his wife nearly two years ago. He also states that he has actual evidence that can show he never acted "criminally with sex and, unlike these allegations."
"I also felt like it was important to respect the movement and allow these women the opportunity to speak and be heard about how they feel and how they felt but I do believe people should be held accountable for fabricating stories or changing the narrative of stories just so they can be a part of the movement," explained Joey. "As many of you know from my initial statement, I've been in therapy since the separation with my ex-wife nearly two years ago. I took it very hard and I've been doing a lot of self-reflection and self-realization and learning a lot about me. I attend therapy each and every week and I'm getting better each and every day. I know that therapy is about progress and not perfection but I do want to make one thing perfectly clear, I have never had sex with a woman without her consent."
"I have never acted criminally towards a woman and I have never acted criminally with sex and, unlike these allegations, I have actual evidence that can show you that. I also want it clear that I have always been able to separate business from my personal life. I have never used any clout or any kind of influence I have in wrestling to get people to do anything that they don't want to do or I've never used it for personal gain."
"By the amount of buzz that I can create when all these allegations started, I thought I was going crazy because I was reading all these stories about me that were very very very different from how I remember them happening it's only when I went back and read old text messages and old direct messages and and looked up old receipts that I found that I have evidence actual clear-cut evidence to dispute nearly every single one of these allegations against me."
If you use any of the quotes in this article, please provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.
Michael Burmy contributed to this article.