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The world's first hijabi pro wrestler Nor Diana, shares what it means to be in the ring and compete in the challenging world of professional wrestling
For many of us, pro wrestling is often only seen on TV. But for Nor Diana, it is a passion and a career.
Known as Phoenix in the ring, Nor Diana first received widespread attention for donning a hijab to her fights. Then, she beat four men to become the Malaysia Pro Wrestling Wrestlecon champion. Her victory caught the eye of American Muslim World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) star Adeel Alam (Mustafa Ali), who gave her a shoutout on Twitter.
Being in the spotlight also brought scrutiny to Nor Diana, especially from the conservatives who criticised her for her ring gear and for fighting men. But she hasn’t let that slow her down, and she wants to break that stigma and show the world that Muslim women have a place in pro wrestling.
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“Representation is important,” says Nor Diana. “As the world’s first hijab-wearing professional wrestler, I am proud to represent the underrepresented in the professional wrestling industry.
“Being a relatable icon to other Muslim girls worldwide who are wrestling fans motivates me. This motivation keeps me going as I strive to achieve my dream of being on the world’s biggest platform, the WWE.”
Due to the lack of female wrestlers in Malaysia, Nor Diana would train alongside her male counterparts, which pushed her to adapt and match their agility, strength and stamina. While it proved to be a gruelling process, she thanked her coach, Ayez Shaukat-Fonseka, for helping her overcome it with his guidance and support from the start.
“Professional wrestling is a performance art that requires great athleticism, acrobatics and physical strength,” she says. “You need to perform like an athlete or you won’t be able to pull off the required stunts. A lot of practice, training and preparation is required.”
Pro wrestlers are known for their larger-than-life personalities and magnetic charisma that help tell stories through their promos and ring work—and this is one of the reasons why Nor Diana loves the sport. “I love telling stories in the ring through pro wrestling to entertain the audience,” she says. “When I'm in the ring, I’m focused and determined. I take on a different persona—my stage character, Phoenix. She is different compared to me personally. I am shy, reserved and introverted. She is confident and outgoing.”
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Nor Diana’s groundbreaking foray into pro wrestling has allowed her to represent her faith, lifestyle and culture on the world stage, becoming a role model for Muslim girls and women globally.
On a personal level, it has allowed her to pursue her dreams and helped her grow as a person. “Wrestling has given me more confidence. It has helped me to trust myself more and helped me realise that I can achieve more than I thought possible,” she says.
“It felt like a dream four years ago, but I am now known worldwide and have travelled to different countries to wrestle. I feel like the only thing that can stop me is myself—and once I remind myself of that, I will continue to break barriers.”
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