Trans WWE star Gabbi Tuft returns to wrestling as a TikTok star

When Gabbi Tuft attended her first WWE show after transitioning, the formerly dreadlocked grappler sat within just a few feet of the squared circle.

One year later, the TikTok star and fitness coach is taking her return to wrestling one step further. She stepped back into the ring Tuesday night, for her first match since publicly coming out as trans. Tuft performed for West Coast Wrestling in Irvine, California, right in the middle of her native Orange County.

She said her re-debut was a knockout success! (The match will air at a later date on YouTube and TV.)

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“Tonight we tore the house down…and I couldn’t have done it without my team,” she wrote on Instagram, before thanking members of her management team. “Mother has arrived…and we’re just getting started.”

I’m so fucking proud of you. Feel so lucky to be your friend and see your journey this far. Go kill it sister! Wish I could be there to see you shine tonight!! SHESSS BACCKKK ❤️ https://t.co/nH3mxYHLiD pic.twitter.com/IQ08S7plRl

— SARAYA (@Saraya) June 26, 2024

Tuft’s journey from Tyler Reks, her former wrestling alias, to “Mother,” started in early 2020. She started questioning her identity at the start of lockdowns, and began cross-dressing. While Tuft says she tried on her mom’s clothes as a child, she was unaware of her gender dysphoria.

That is, until she had time to contemplate. At first, she thought she was just playing another career, just like in WWE career. Reks, a tattooed bruiser with dreadlocked hair and a permanent scowl, was the ultimate heel.

“Subconsciously, I believe it’s a possibility I justified what I was doing as a form of role play,” she told the New York Times.

But over time, Tuft recognized her infatuation with femininity wasn’t a phase. It was her.

In February 2021, she came out as transgender on social media. The Instagram post features her sitting on a sofa holding an Ace of Spades, with an enlarged photo of her former wrestling identity situated behind her.

“This is me. Unashamed, unabashedly me. This is the side of me that has hidden in the shadows, afraid and fearful of what the world would think; afraid of what my family, friends, and followers would say or do,” she said.

“I am no longer afraid and I am no longer fearful. I can now say with confidence, that I love myself for WHO I am.”

Over the last three years, Tuft has shined as her true self. She’s become a TikTok sensation, boasting an impressive 1.1 million followers.

Watch a few videos, and it doesn’t take long to figure out why she’s so popular. Tuft is engaging and relatable, forgoing shopping trips at high-end specialty stores in favor of Costco and Trader Joe’s. Her nutrition tips aren’t about preparing the perfect açaí bowl or flaxseed smoothie.

They’re about finding healthy selections in the frozen aisle, and how to responsibly satisfy cravings at In-N-Out Burger.

@gabbituft

Healthy food at In N Out…kind of ? – It’s a tough one, but I found something that will fit calories and macros! – Event still, I wouldn’t recommend this as an every day option. – Stay humble, children. – Stay faithful. – Remember, Mother will guide you. – Over 2000 clients of success in the last 14 years. – Details in my profile for my one on one fitness and nutrition coaching – Or go to coachgabbi.com. – Not a paid partnership…with anyone – ever. – #healthy #healthyfood #nutrition

? original sound – Gabbi

@gabbituft

Come with me to find healthy snacks for traveling! – I’m looking for protein and carb sources that are easy to travel with, while minimizing my fat intake. – Whenever my nutrition includes carbs, I always reduce my fat intake. This helps to ensure there’s room for enough protein in my macros AND helps to keep body fat low. – Happy shopping! – Over 2000 clients of success in the last 14 years. – Details in my profile for my one on one fitness and nutrition coaching – Or go to coachgabbi.com. – Happy shopping! – Not a paid partnership…with anyone – ever. – #healthy #healthyfood #nutrition

? original sound – Gabbi

Tuft also records videos with her 11-year-old daughter Mia, who hilariously provides viewers with updates on her life. The clips show a happy kid with lots of friends and a perfect GPA.

One of Tuft’s interviews with Mia, which is pinned to the top of her page, has been viewed more than 10.1 million times.

When Tuft appeared last summer at WWE Smackdown! in Madison Square Garden, multiple fans approached her. It was a sign of validation from the WWE Universe, even if the company itself was more cool. Tuft was hoping for her ticket to be comped, and backstage access so she could reconnect with old friends.

Neither happened. Tuft paid her own way, and was denied special access.

While she prefers to believe the WWE’s chilly response was about logistics, she’s not sure.

But Tuft did seem sure of herself this week, when she announced her returned to the ring.

Mother has arrived, and she’s her to stay boots.

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