Former champion shows off impressive physique amid AEW hiatus

A former AEW champion, who has been away from the Jacksonville-based promotion since January 2025, has now resurfaced with a post on social media. One half of the Private Party tag team, Zay aka Isiah Kassidy, is currently on a hiatus from All Elite Wrestling.

Zay and Quen lost the AEW World Tag Team Championship to Shelton Benjamin and Bobby Lashley of The Hurt Syndicate on the January 22, 2025, edition of Dynamite. They have since been absent from television.

Amid his absence from weekly programming, a few hours ago, Zay took to X and posted a photo of himself looking ripped.

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Up until last year, Private Party was touted as one of the best tag teams, even boasting of a surprising victory over The Young Bucks for the World Tag Team Title and a mini feud with Jon Moxley and The Death Riders. However, the team has since gone cold. With Zay looking match-ready in his new post, fans will certainly speculate what's next for the star upon his impending return to Tony Khan's promotion.

Matt Hardy slams AEW President Tony Khan over the treatment of Private Party

Earlier this year, veteran wrestler Matt Hardy criticized Tony Khan for his booking of Zay and Quen, i.e., Private Party.

Speaking on his Extreme Life of Matt Hardy podcast, the 50-year-old voiced his disappointment over how Quen and Zay's potential was not fully realized by the company.

“I just feel like you could have gotten so much more done with Private Party. You could have built them [up] so much more, and they could have been staples of your tag division. You could have solidified them as a legit top-tier tag team, but it didn’t happen... And they’re day-oners in AEW, and I hate that we didn’t really work hard to make them legit as a tag team. There was an opportunity where the ball was dropped,” he said. [H/T: Ringside News]

Private Party captured the AEW World Tag Team Championship from The Young Bucks on the October 30, 2024, edition of Dynamite. However, their reign was short-lived, ending 84 days later at the hands of The Hurt Syndicate.

About the author

Karan Raj is a senior writer in Sportskeeda's AEW division. He holds an engineering degree from Manipal University, but his passion for sports motivated him to pursue an MSc in Sports Business from the University of Liverpool. Karan has been in the sports marketing industry for the past seven years.

As a lifelong WWE fan and enthusiast of wrestling entertainment, he has always been drawn to the industry's unique blend of sports and storytelling. Karan was introduced to the business by his elder sister when he was 10 years old.

Before assuming his current role at Sportskeeda, Karan worked for several reputable organizations, such as Ting Works LLP and Sportz Interactive, wearing different hats. He also wrote the anthem of UP Rudras, a hockey team that played in the Hockey India League. Karan conducts thorough research while writing articles and only relies on credible sources for information.

Karan's favorite pro wrestler is Seth Rollins. He admires The Visionary's versatility as a performer and his ability to play both heel and babyface characters to perfection. Besides Rollins, Karan looks up to Roman Reigns for his storytelling skills and ability to captivate audiences.

In AEW, he enjoys watching Will Ospreay compete inside the ring. Karan loves The Aerial Assassin's technical in-ring ability and athleticism. If Karan could go back to the Attitude Era, he would combine forces with Jericho and promise to elevate his career to the same level as The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin.When not writing about pro wrestling, Karan loves to play and watch football. It is a huge part of his life.

He is also a massive fan of tennis and is learning to play the sport. Apart from sports, he also knows how to play the ukulele.

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Edited by Yash Mittal