Missing AEW Star Wrestles First Match In 7 Months
A welcome in-ring return at last night's AEW Dark: Elevation tapings.
Penelope Ford returned to All Elite Wrestling for the first time in seven months last night, facing Heather Reckless at the Dark: Elevation tapings in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Ford defeated Reckless in what was likely a straightforward squash match typical of the Dark format. This was taped before last night's special Quake by the Lake episode of Dynamite, with the footage likely hitting YouTube in Elevation's usual slot next Monday.
Thus ends a lengthy in-ring absence for Ford, who hadn't competed since a 15 January Dark taping, where she felled Angelica Risk. AEW founder and CEO Tony Khan confirmed on 9 July that Ford had been out of action as she wasn't medically cleared to compete:-
Not at all, total opposite in fact; she’s a great wrestler, and I can’t wait until she’s medically cleared to come back. She’s been in some classic @AEW matches, and hopefully she’ll be in many more!#AEWRampage
— Tony Khan (@TonyKhan) July 9, 2022
Ford's husband, Kip Sabian, recently wrestled his first match in 15 months, facing Robbie X for the UK's BWR. He has quietly featured in the crowd on AEW television steadily over the past few months, though there's no word on when he might be back.
Penelope was effectively a day one AEW signing, with the promotion confirming she was joining upon its launch in January 2019. This was her longest period away from the promotion since then.