From Hijab to Headlock: How Nor ‘Phoenix’ Diana Is Rewriting the Wrestling Rulebook

By Danial Martinus  •  04 Aug 2025 in Interview

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When Nor ‘Phoenix’ Diana steps into the ring, she doesn’t just bring grit, fire, and ring-ready technique. She brings something the wrestling world rarely sees: a hijabi, Muslim woman from Malaysia, refusing to play by anyone else’s rules but her own.

In a world where the wrestling industry still largely revolves around Western faces and male dominance, she’s flipping the script one fall, slam, and comeback at a time.

From the TV screen to real life

Her journey into the wrestling world began not in a gym or dojo, but on a sofa, game controller in hand. 14 years old at the time, Diana had always enjoyed watching wrestling on television. Eventually she started playing wrestling video games with her brother, and her fandom became a full-on obsession.

At 16, she felt a pull she couldn’t ignore. Inspired by wrestling icon Mercedes Moné (formerly known as Sasha Banks), Diana saw herself reflected for the first time. “I remember thinking, ‘If she can do it, why can’t I?’ That’s what pushed me to start training,” she shares with JUICE.

Fuelled by that sense of possibility, Diana began training seriously—juggling school, part-time jobs, and her new wrestling passion. She initially treated wrestling like a hobby, working part-time just to pay for her training. This meant sacrificing a lot of her free time after school.

But in 2019, everything changed. A viral video showcasing her in-ring talent blew up online, garnering attention from international fans and wrestling enthusiasts alike. “That’s when I realised this journey was bigger than just me. I had a purpose,” she says.

That purpose crystallised into the persona known today as ‘Phoenix’: a name given to her just two days before her debut match by her coach, Shaukat. While it might have seemed like a nonchalant, last-minute decision to Diana at the time, she gradually came to realise the significance of the name.

“But as the years went by, I started to really connect with it,” Diana says. “The phoenix is about rising again and again, no matter how many times you fall—and that’s been my journey.”

And rise she did

According to Diana, the early days were filled with awkward glances, doubts, and dismissive comments.

“When I first started wrestling, I wore a mask. Not many people knew I was a hijabi… But three years in, I decided to remove the mask and wrestle as my full self,” she shares. “That’s when I really got hit with the backlash—especially from people in my own country.”

Online, the hate comments came pouring in, and they nearly took a toll on Diana, who’s only human after all. She considered quitting the sport altogether, but something deep in her heart made her cling to the thing that mattered the most: the support from people close to her and those around the world who did see her.

Now, her identity isn’t just part of her brand; it’s her power. “Wrestling isn’t just about moves in the ring, it’s about representation,” Diana says. “And every time I step into that ring, I know I’m showing people—especially girls who feel unseen—that they can be bold, be themselves, and still shine.”

Wrestling, with all its physical demands, also posed another challenge: what to wear. Wrestling outfits are traditionally designed to allow for easy movement and exposure. But as a hijabi, Diana wanted to stay true to her beliefs without compromising on her ringside presence.

“It took time and trial to figure out what worked, but I’ve found my way,” she says. “Before I even joined training, I experimented with different hijab styles to make sure it wouldn’t move during matches.”

What sets Diana apart isn’t just her presence, it’s her perseverance. Every step of her journey has been about making space where none existed. Her debut on American soil, wrestling at Reality of Wrestling, marked a major turning point.

“It was such an empowering moment… I stepped in as the first hijabi wrestler in the world. That alone felt like a huge barrier being broken,” she shares.

Bigger things await

As Diana gears up for the biggest match of her career—Slamfest 2025’s history-making women’s main event against WWE ID’s Inaugural Women’s Champion, Kylie Rae—the gravity of it isn’t lost on her. Diana has always dreamt of facing her as an opponent, so this upcoming match is truly something special.

“To now face her feels surreal. It’s not just personal, it’s a chance to showcase Malaysian wrestling, through APAC Wrestling, on a global stage,” she says.

But the match is more than a milestone, according to Diana. It’s a testament to the talent, heart, and passion that exists in SEA. It’s proof that dreams are real, and they’re worth chasing.

“SlamFest 2025 isn’t just the biggest wrestling event in Malaysia, it’s the biggest in the region. And we’re ready to show the world what we can do,” Diana exclaims.

Beyond the ropes, though, Diana wants to grow as a wrestler, travel more, and wrestle on bigger stages, with the endgame being a WWE debut one day. “But beyond that, I want hijabi women to feel like they belong—not just in the ring, but in any space they dream of being in.”

In many ways, Nor ‘Phoenix’ Diana is what you get when you light a spark and refuse to let anyone put it out. Wrestling isn’t just entertainment, it’s resistance, it’s empowerment, and in her case, it’s representation finally given a voice, a body, and a hijab.

To the young girls watching from the sidelines, unsure if they can chase something bold, her message is simple and fierce: “Girls can too. Don’t let society tell you who you can or can’t be. The only person who can stop you is you.”

Catch Nor ‘Phoenix’ Diana vs. Kylie Rae at Slamfest 2025

 

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Slamfest 2025 will feature eight international bouts, including four WWE ID prospects competing on Malaysian soil for the very first time—a milestone event co-organised by Coaction Events and APAC
Wrestling.

Malaysian wrestling icon Nor ‘Phoenix’ Diana, the world’s first hijabi pro-wrestler, will go head-to-head with Kylie Rae, WWE ID’s Inaugural Women’s Champion. Don’t miss this.

Date:
30 August 2025
Time:
4 p.m.
Location:
Stadium Juara, Mont Kiara
Kompleks Sukan Negara Bukit Kiara
Jalan Bukit Kiara 1
Bukit Kiara
60000 Kuala Lumpur

Get your tickets here.

For more features like this, head to JUICE Malaysia.