Anna Jay has revealed that Dean Malenko has working with her behind the scenes in AEW.
Malenko is a widely respected name in the wrestling world who has a reputation for in-ring psychology and creativity, including being credited with suggesting ‘The Skull Crushing Finale’, the signature move of WWE Superstar The Miz.
Speaking in a recent interview with Busted Open Radio, the 25 year-old praised former WWE Light Heavyweight Champion Malenko for his help in recent times:
“Dean Malenko recently has been helping me some, and he is just incredible, and also just a very sweet, generous man, so it’s cool learning from him. Obviously, he’s just incredibly talented and incredibly knowledgeable.
Jericho, of course. Being with him has really been helpful, and he’s helped me a lot I think talking-wise, even more than wrestling. So it’s cool to have different people for different aspects of the business. So those two right now I feel like have been super helpful. But there’s tons more. Jerry Lynn’s been helpful. I would say Madison Rayne, she’s super helpful and always helping the women week-to-week. But there’s tons of people in the back that are helping all the time.”
Jay would go on to reveal that despite having the ultimate target of AEW Women’s gold, she is currently just focusing on improving her in-ring abilities:
“[The AEW Women’s World Championship] is definitely the goal. I think that’s kind of everyone’s goal is to one day hold a championship in wrestling because that’s a token of what you’ve worked for.
But I think for me right now, especially with my experience and being so new, and I’m not that new anymore, but I am new as far as match numbers. I’ve not had as many matches as a lot of the girls. But I think right now, really, I just want to keep getting better and keep doing what I’m doing and keep getting reps and keep getting advice from all the people that we have in the back and keep going on this way.
I do feel myself getting more comfortable, and I do feel myself trying new things here and there. I think, like I said, if I stay on this, that I’ll get better and hit my goal of being a great women’s wrestler and hit my goal of being the champion. But I think it’s just kind of a day-by-day process, for me at least, and I’m okay with that. I’m okay with taking it day by day, and I’m okay with just getting better and that being my goal right now.”
Who Is Anna Jay Aligned With In AEW?
Anna Jay turned heel in July 2022, joining the Jericho Appreciation Society and in turn changing her name to Anna Jay A.S to reflect her involvement in the stable. The group disbanded on the August 9th 2023 edition of AEW Dynamite.
H/T: Fightful for the above transcription