Anna Jay Bio
Anna Marie Jernigan (born July 15, 1998) is an American professional wrestler currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW). She performs under the ring name Anna Jay and is one-half of the tag team TayJay alongside Tay Melo. Anna began her professional wrestling career in 2019 after being trained by Glacier and Q.T. Marshall. Standing at 173 cm and competing at around 65 kilograms, she has developed a reputation for her in-ring skills and charisma, quickly rising through the ranks of AEW and gaining international experience.
Born and raised in Brunswick, Georgia, Anna has performed under several ring names during her career, including Anna Jay, Anna Jay A.S., and Anna Jayy. Since 2019, she has become a familiar presence on AEW programming, competing in major matches for the AEW Women’s World Championship and the TBS Championship while also representing the company on international tours in Japan.
Early Life and Background
Anna Marie Jernigan was born on July 15, 1998, in Brunswick, Georgia, in the United States. Growing up in coastal Georgia, she was raised in a community with a strong appreciation for athletics and entertainment. Her early years in the region helped shape the determination that would later fuel her decision to pursue professional wrestling as a career.
Her interest in professional wrestling developed before she reached adulthood, and she committed to formal training while still a teenager. In July 2018, Anna enrolled at the One Fall Power Factory, a training school associated with the Georgia independent wrestling scene. The training environment introduced her to the physical demands and storytelling craft of the sport, and she quickly set her sights on a career inside the squared circle.
Path to Professional Wrestling
Anna’s path to professional wrestling began in earnest at the One Fall Power Factory, where she trained under the guidance of established figures in the industry, including Glacier and Q.T. Marshall. Her commitment to the craft was tested early when she suffered a shoulder injury in April 2019 that required surgery and kept her out of action for four to six months. The setback did not deter her, and she returned to training with renewed focus.
On September 14, 2019, Anna made her professional debut at Glacier’s charity event known as The Battle of Altama. The following January, she defeated Thunder Blonde in a hair vs. hair match at a Georgia Premier Wrestling event, earning one of her earliest notable victories. These early appearances on the independent circuit helped her build a foundation of experience that would soon lead to a national stage.
Anna Jay Career
Early Career (2018–2020)
Anna began her formal wrestling training at the One Fall Power Factory in July 2018, learning the fundamentals of the business under coaches that included Glacier and Q.T. Marshall. A shoulder injury in April 2019 required surgery and kept her sidelined for several months, but she returned to the ring in September 2019 at The Battle of Altama. Her earliest matches were concentrated on the Georgia independent scene.
In January 2020, she secured a memorable win over Thunder Blonde in a hair vs. hair match at a Georgia Premier Wrestling event, a result that gave her visibility beyond the training school. That same year, she began appearing in All Elite Wrestling, first in a video package hyping Wardlow at All Out and then in a televised match against Hikaru Shida on the April 1 episode of Dynamite. By the end of April 2020, she was announced as having signed with AEW.
All Elite Wrestling Breakthrough (2019–Present)
After signing with AEW, Anna was introduced to the broader wrestling audience in 2020. Following a loss to Abadon on the June 17 episode of Dynamite, she was helped backstage by The Dark Order, setting the stage for her alliance with the group. She teamed with Tay Conti as part of TayJay in the AEW Women’s Tag Team Cup Tournament: The Deadly Draw, where they reached the semifinals before being eliminated. On August 27, she was officially introduced as a member of The Dark Order.
During 2020 and 2021, Anna challenged for major titles within AEW, including an AEW Women’s World Championship match against Shida on November 25, 2020, and a victory alongside Conti over Britt Baker and Penelope Ford at the Brodie Lee Celebration of Life on December 30, 2020. A shoulder injury in early 2021 forced her to step away from the ring, and she underwent surgery in March 2021, with an expected recovery of six to twelve months.
She returned to action on September 1, 2021, saving Conti from a post-match attack. The months that followed saw her compete in the TBS Women’s Championship Tournament and pursue the AEW TBS Championship, including a main event challenge against Jade Cargill on January 21, 2022, and a rematch at Double or Nothing in May 2022. On July 20, 2022, during Night 2 of Fyter Fest, she turned heel by attacking Ruby Soho and joined the Jericho Appreciation Society, briefly adopting the ring name Anna Jay A.S.
The next two years were marked by high-profile rivalries with Ruby Soho, Willow Nightingale, and Julia Hart, as well as championship opportunities against Hikaru Shida and Mercedes Moné. In 2024, she expanded her résumé internationally by competing in World Wonder Ring Stardom’s 5 Star Grand Prix in Japan, finishing with six points in the Blue Stars A Block. She returned to AEW with momentum, defeating Mariah May in an eliminator match at Battle of the Belts XII on October 17, 2024.
In 2025, Anna formed a new alliance with Harley Cameron at the Double or Nothing pre-show and reunited with Tay Melo, now known as Tay Conti under the TayJay banner, to defeat Megan Bayne and Penelope Ford at Fyter Fest on June 4. The reunion continued the following week at Summer Blockbuster with another win over Bayne and Ford, signaling a renewed chapter for one of AEW’s most recognizable tag teams.
Style and Strengths
Anna Jay is known for her submission-based offense, particularly her use of a choke variation that became a signature weapon during her time in the Jericho Appreciation Society. Her calm in-ring presence, combined with her ability to adapt between singles and tag team competition, has allowed her to thrive in long rivalries and high-stakes matches. Her willingness to evolve her character, including a heel turn and a later reunion with Tay Melo, has helped her remain a featured competitor on AEW programming.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among her most notable moments, Anna challenged Jade Cargill for the AEW TBS Championship on January 21, 2022, in a Rampage main event, and faced Cargill again at Double or Nothing in May 2022. She also challenged for the AEW Women’s World Championship on multiple occasions, competed in the Owen Hart Foundation Women’s Tournament, and represented AEW at World Wonder Ring Stardom’s 5 Star Grand Prix in 2024. Her reunion with Tay Melo at Fyter Fest in June 2025 marked a return to one of the most popular pairings in the AEW women’s division.
Anna Jay Career Wins
Anna Jay has compiled a varied résumé of wins across singles and tag team competition since her 2019 debut. While a complete statistical record is not publicly available, her victories include notable triumphs on the Georgia independent circuit, in AEW’s tag team tournaments, and in high-profile matches on Dynamite, Rampage, and Collision.
AEW Highlights
Among her confirmed AEW wins, Anna teamed with Tay Conti to defeat Britt Baker and Penelope Ford at the Brodie Lee Celebration of Life on December 30, 2020. In 2022, she defeated Ruby Soho during the Rampage portion of Fight for the Fallen and later secured a street fight victory over Penelope Ford and The Bunny on December 31, 2021, alongside Conti. In 2025, she and Harley Cameron defeated Megan Bayne and Penelope Ford at the Double or Nothing pre-show, before reuniting with Tay Melo for further wins over the same team at Fyter Fest and Summer Blockbuster.
Other Wins and Performances
Outside AEW, Anna’s earliest verified victory came on the independent circuit in January 2020, when she defeated Thunder Blonde in a hair vs. hair match at a Georgia Premier Wrestling event. She also represented AEW at World Wonder Ring Stardom’s 2024 5 Star Grand Prix, where she finished with six points in the Blue Stars A Block, marking her first experience competing in Japan.
Anna Jay Family
Family Background and Wrestling Lineage
Anna was raised in Brunswick, Georgia, and credits her hometown community for the work ethic that carried her into professional wrestling. Her training roots are tied to the One Fall Power Factory and to mentors such as Glacier and Q.T. Marshall, who helped guide her through her earliest years in the business.
Personal Life
On June 28, 2021, Anna revealed through social media that she is in a relationship with fellow AEW wrestler Jack Perry. The couple has remained together since that announcement, and Anna has continued to be a prominent figure in AEW’s women’s division while balancing her personal and professional commitments.
2025 Season Performance
Anna’s 2025 campaign has been defined by the reunion of TayJay, one of AEW’s most popular tag teams. After months of singles competition, she joined forces with Harley Cameron at the Double or Nothing pre-show to defeat Megan Bayne and Penelope Ford, signaling a shift back toward tag team wrestling.
The reunion with Tay Melo, formerly known as Tay Conti, came at Fyter Fest on June 4, when TayJay defeated Bayne and Ford in a rematch. The momentum carried into Summer Blockbuster the following week, where TayJay secured another victory over the same opponents, establishing the team as a unit to watch in the AEW women’s tag team division.
Looking ahead, Anna remains a central figure in AEW’s women’s division, with potential title opportunities on the horizon and a renewed partnership with Tay Melo. Her combination of singles experience and tag team chemistry positions her as a versatile competitor as the 2025 season progresses.
