Back in 2002, Melina competed in Tough Enough III and made it to the casting special. However, she did not proceed to the actual series. Melina got her first taste of World Wrestling Entertainment when she appeared in a pilgrim costume as an extra in a backstage vignette on the 2003 Thanksgiving edition of SmackDown!. Fortunately, WWE saw enough in Melina to offer her a WWE developmental contract in December 2003. Melina made her Ohio Valley Wrestling debut in March 2004. She guided Johnny Nitro and Joey Matthews to the OVW Southern Titles on November 10, 2004.

Melina appeared on the November 22, 2004 edition of RAW in a backstage vignette with Candice Michelle. Melina appeared on a few Raw shows as a babyface in the latter portion of 2004, usually in T & A spots. Melina redebuted as a heel on SmackDown on April 14, 2005 alongside Johnny Nitro and Joey Mercury, with whom she formed the tag team MNM. Melina lead Nitro and Mercury to the WWE Tag Team Championships the following week. Over the course of 2005, Melina would feud with Michelle McCool, Torrie Wilson, Christy Hemme and Trish Stratus. Towards the end of her tenure on SmackDown, Melina would feud with her former assistant, Jillian Hall. Melina would come up on the losing end in her match with Jillian at Judgment Day. Melina was fuming from the controversial decision and she proceeded to slap General Manager Theodore Long in a fit of rage. Long then fired both Melina and Johnny Nitro from SmackDown.

Melina and Johnny Nitro made their return to the WWE as part of the RAW brand on May 29, 2006, in a losing effort against WWE Champion John Cena. In addition to managing Nitro, Melina is wrestling much more frequently. Melina managed to score a clean pinfall over Trish Stratus. During this feud, Melina was billed as having a more aggressive mat style.