Former WWE star announced for first AEW match in over 2 years

Tony Khan has announced a major tag team match for AEW Summer Blockbuster featuring a notable return to action for a former WWE star who's been away from All Elite Wrestling since January 2023.

In a post on X/Twitter, Khan confirmed that the returning Tay Melo would team up with Anna Jay for the first time in over two years, and they will face the team of Megan Bayne and Penelope Ford, who have been a thorn in Jay’s side in recent weeks. The announcement follows Melo’s surprise return at Dynamite: Fyter Fest, where she intervened to save Anna from an ongoing attack by the evil duo.

"#AEWSummerBlockbuster, 8pm ET/7pm CT This Wed, 6/11 @meganbayne /@thePenelopeFord vs TayJay. After @TayMelo returned to save @annajay__from her nemeses Megan and Penelope, Bayne + Ford will fight vs Tay + Anna, teaming as TayJay for the first time in over 2 years THIS WEDNESDAY!" Khan wrote on X.

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This will be Melo’s first match in All Elite Wrestling since January 2023, after which she was absent from television programming due to pregnancy and only recently returned to in-ring action earlier this year in STARDOM. This match will mark her official in-ring comeback in the Jacksonville-based promotion.

It is worth noting that Tay Melo originally rose to prominence in WWE NXT before joining the Jacksonville-based promotion in 2020, and her long-awaited reunion with Anna Jay revives "TayJay", a fan-favorite tag team in AEW.

Tay Melo's last AEW match was a Street Fight

The last time we saw Tay Melo in an All Elite Wrestling ring was in an episode of Rampage in January 2023.

The (then) Jericho Appreciation Society member teamed up with long-time friend and partner Anna Jay to take on Willow Nightingale and Ruby Soho in a brutal Street Fight.

You can check out the match below:

The freshly reunited 'TayJay', who lost that bout to Willow and Ruby, now have the opportunity to restart their tag-team on the right track with a win over Megan Bayne and Penelope Ford at AEW Summer Blockbuster.

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 Sayantan Niyogi