Nor ‘Phoenix’ Diana, best known as the world’s first hijab-wearing pro wrestler, came into prominence worldwide when she beat four men to become Malaysia Pro Wrestling Wrestlecon champion in 2019.

Growing up playing WWE wrestling games on her brother’s Playstation Portable and watching wrestling matches on television, Nor Diana was inspired to become a wrestler after seeing WWE female wrestler Sasha Banks. In 2015, she joined Malaysia Pro Wrestling and started training under its founder and coach Ayez Shaukat-Fonseka Farid. Initially wearing a mask, she unmasked in 2018 as part the deal with her opponent after losing a fight, revealing herself to be a hijabi to the world for the first time.

Although she has mostly received support for fighting as a Muslim woman, Nor Diana has also received a fair amount of flak from conservatives for her attire and for fighting men. After winning in Malaysia, she made her international debut at the Manila Wrestling Federation and went to London to train with British independent women’s professional wrestling promotion called Pro-Wrestling: EVE.

She has since taken part in several independent wrestling matches but has her sights set on the WWE arena.