After a notable tenure as WWE's "Naomi" and appearing on E!'s "Total Divas", Trinity Fatu has made a surprise return to wrestling for the first time since May 2022.
Fatu, who was previously the WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion and WWE Women’s Tag Team champion, has now returned to wrestling with IMPACT Wrestling in Chicago.
With IMPACT, Fatu's new wrestling name will be "Trinity."
Fatu is speaking out for the first time since sending shockwaves through the wrestling world when she and fellow wrestler Sasha Banks walked out in the middle of a WWE Raw show in Norfolk, Va. in May of last year.
The two wrestlers walked out during the taping over a "creative dispute" surrounding both the show being taped and the future of their partnership with WWE.
Trinity's debut will air on the May 4 episode of IMPACT on AXS TV, with her first in-ring action tonight against KiLynn King.
With speculation having emerged following the walkout that Trinity could be done with wrestling, making the surprise return has made the occasion all the more memorable.
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"Being back in wrestling and being with my pack in a place where I feel so welcome and just for the opportunity and just receiving all the love, it was very, very overwhelming. And I really felt it in my heart like I really did. I couldn't even hide the emotion," Trinity said of her recent Chicago return.
Trinity added that her nearly year-long hiatus gave her time to figure things out in a period of rapid change in her life.
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"I've been wrestling 14 years now, and then one day everything, everything just changed. And I felt like my whole world was turned upside down and things were shuffled around. It took a little time to just process everything and really sort out what I want to do, where I want to be," Trinity said.
She added that she chose IMPACT due to the organization's history and standing as one of the premier women's divisions.
While the walkout in May of last year started a period of rapid change in Trinity's life, she told NBC 5 the experience is for the better.
"I feel like it was a blessing in disguise. I feel that it's allowed me to to grow and become better in every way, in every aspect. Show me how strong I really am. And now I've got this new journey ahead of me, these new goals, and I'm excited and ready to step into this new chapter," Trinity said.
The two-night "Spring Slugfest" continues tonight at Cicero Stadium, returning on July 28-29 for "Chicago Heat" and again on October 21-22 for "Bound For Glory."