.png)
7 months ago
41
Transgender professional wrestling star Gabbi Tuft is inching closer to an in-ring comeback. Those social-media teases to keep the hype train running may manifest itself sooner than most believe.
In an exclusive interview with DailyMail.com, Tuft revealed she had a 'great conversation' with All Elite Wrestling CEO Tony Khan on Valentine's Day.
'He's a hell of a guy, and I can tell you very, very clearly, mother is coming,' Tuft said.
Has Tuft been in contact with Khan and AEW's brass since then?
'I can't talk about that,' Tuft added, smiling from ear-to-ear.
Gabbi Tuft shared details of her return to wrestling training with Dustin Rhodes and TJ Wilson
Tuft posted a video of herself walking into an arena where AEW was holding a show in February
Here is Tuft after and before her transition, where she was known as Tyler Reks in WWE
Tuft's road back to professional wrestling is unique in a few ways. Should she sign with AEW or World Wrestling Entertainment, Tuft would become the first person to compete before and after beginning a gender transition for a major North American promotion.
Tuft was known as Tyler Reks during her first four-year run with WWE, was released from the company in 2012.
Tuft's last official match took place at a Pro Wrestling Syndicate event, teaming with former WWE wrestler Curt Hawkins against All Elite Wrestling's Lance Hoyt and Kevin Matthews in 2013.
She has not been in a sanctioned match since, and getting back in the squared circle is also something the 45-year-old Tuft never dreamed of doing again a year ago at this time.
Her whole world changed when she stepped through the ropes at Madison Square Garden before an episode of WWE Smackdown! last year as part of a feature for the New York Times.
What has transpired since Tuft felt the canvas below her feet again has been a whirlwind even Tuft never could have predicted. She's trained with AEW veteran Dustin Rhodes, better known to WWE fans as Goldust.
Tuft has also run the ropes at 'The Dungeon 2.0' ran by WWE superstar Natalya and her husband TJ Wilson, who was known in WWE as Tyson Kidd before retiring in 2017 due to injury.
Since reigniting her passion for professional wrestling, Tuft has rubbed elbows with plenty of other notable squared-circle stars such as Adam 'Edge' Copeland, Saraya, and Carlito.
Tuft posing for a photo with WWE stars including former champions Liv Morgan and Natalya
'It's just a feeling, knowing where your path is, and knowing that my story is not complete, just like Cody (Rhodes) is finishing his story right now, my story feels like it's not complete until I do this,' Tuft said.
'I didn't transition to come back to wrestling and go dominate a women's division. That's not why I'm doing it,' Tuft added. 'I'm doing this because I'm something totally different.
'And I know but I am the best possible version of this human sitting before you that I can be, and that I have something so unique to offer the world beyond just being a trans woman,' Tuft continued.
'But it's who I am and what I present, as far as the character, my skills in the ring, and the way that I can captivate a crowd including everybody listening right now,' Tuft said. 'That's what's going to set me apart.'
'And I've mastered that. I know my value. I know who I am. I know what I'm capable of, and I am not going to stop until my face graces that TV screen again,' Tuft concluded.
Tuft has also posted videos of herself performing moves inside the ring as her return looms
Tuft wrestled for WWE as Tyler Reks for four years before being released from the company
Tuft has dropped about 100 pounds from when she performed as Reks by changing her diet and fitness routine. Reks was billed at 6-foot-2 and around 250 pounds for her entire WWE run.
Tuft has been working on a new character with Dustin Rhodes for several months and stepped back into proper in-ring wrestling training for the first time a few months ago.
In addition to Tuft's new catchphrase of 'mother is coming', she continues to tease that when she's back in official matches, she could be wrestling men, women, or both.
What exactly was discussed between Khan and Tuft, seemingly at Cedar Park, Texas' H-E-B Center, where AEW's flagship weekly show, 'Dynamite', was filmed that evening is unclear.
Being on Khan's radar is never a bad thing, as he runs the second-biggest American professional wrestling company behind WWE, with a national television deal with TBS and TNT.
Tuft can be seen joined by two others on February 14 entering the Austin-area venue, identified by social-media comments as her brother and ex-wife, walking past an 18-wheeler with AEW's logo on it as well as the faces of several of the company's wrestlers including Adam Cole and Britt Baker.
'Mother is coming' has been Tuft's catchphrase teasing her return to professional wrestling
Tuft worked for WWE from 2008-2012 and lived a life away from wrestling over the last decade
The video of the trio walking into H-E-B Center was posted by Tuft herself to social media.
Tuft said her first time backstage at a major wrestling event in over a decade was a December 2023 AEW show in San Antonio. Then she visited again several weeks later when she spoke with Khan.
'If we go back to when (AEW) was in San Antonio, that was the first time I'd been backstage, at any event, in 11 years,' Tuft said.
'And so all the guys that I was on the WWE roster with like Adam Copeland, (Chris) Jericho, Christian, Lance Archer, Brian Cage, Trent Baretta, all these guys I was on the roster with,' Tuft added. 'And to see them for the first time since my transition, see them for the first time in 11 years it was such an incredible experience.'
'Nobody judged. Nobody cared. They're just like, "Oh, my God! You're here!" It was funny, Adam Copeland, the second he saw me is like "Oh, my God! Big Hug!" Mark Henry was there, same thing like big hugs,' Tuft continued.
'... But backstage at AEW, like I said there wasn't a single person who didn't welcome me with open arms,' Tuft said. 'From Thunder Rosa, to Taya Valkyrie, you name it. Everybody was there,' Tuft concluded.
Tuft also spoke incredibly highly of her interactions with current members of the WWE roster since returning to professional wrestling.
Tuft was seen with two other entering H-E-B Arena in Cedar Park, Texas several weeks ago
As Tuft promises to be back on television eventually, will it be with Tony Khan and AEW?
The biggest weekend of the professional wrestling year is here, and Tuft has stated on social media she will be in Philadelphia for the extravaganza.
Alongside WrestleMania 40 taking place this weekend, dozens of other promotions are running shows in smaller venues to capitalize on fans coming from around the world to the former home of Extreme Championship Wrestling.
There might be no better place for 'mother is coming' to change to 'mother has arrived' than with all eyes in the professional-wrestling world glued to Philadelphia.
'Fans can expect a slight throwback to who I might have been previously,' Tuft said. 'They can expect to see something completely unique, because half the world's gonna love me. Half the world's going to hate me. But everyone's gonna be watching.'
English (US)