Transgender retired professional wrestler Gabbi Tuft’s most-recent social media tease about a return to the squared circle saw her entering a venue where All Elite Wrestling was holding a show.
Tuft can be seen joined by two others, 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.
The video of the trio walking into H-E-B Center in Cedar Park, Texas was posted by Tuft herself to social media. AEW’s flagship weekly show, ‘Dynamite’, was held at the Austin-area venue on Wednesday night.
Commenting on the video of Tuft entering the arena was WWE superstar Natalya, who Tuft has been spotted training inside the ring with in recent weeks.
Former WWE superstar Paige, who is now on the AEW roster under her given name of Saraya, also commented on the post and posted photos with Tuft backstage at ‘Dynamite’.
Tuft performed as Tyler Reks for four years before being released by the WWE in 2012
Tuft’s latest social-media tease shows a possible destination of AEW instead of WWE
Tuft, known as Tyler Reks during her first four-year run with WWE, was released from the company in 2012 and retired from competition in 2014.
Three years after coming out as a transgender woman in February 2021, the 45-year-old Tuft publicly expressed a desire to return to the ring on social media.
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.
AEW is the second-biggest American professional wrestling company behind WWE, with a national television deal with TBS and TNT. AEW’s roster includes former WWE world champions such as Bryan Danielson and Adam ‘Edge’ Copeland.
All Elite Wrestling is positioned as the second-biggest American pro wrestling company
Tuft has not wrestled in any official capacity since 2014 but has expressed a desire to return
After posting clips of her time with WWE on social media, and training with Natalya, as well as other current WWE superstars, a return to the ring for Tuft looked to coincide with a reunion with the company that brought her the most limelight.
Now, after a visible presence at an AEW event, that could not be the case.
Tuft’s last official match took place at a Pro Wrestling Syndicate event, teaming with former WWE wrestler Curt Hawkins against AEW’s Lance Hoyt and Kevin Matthews.
Tuft would follow in the footsteps of AEW’s Nyla Rose, who became the first transgender wrestler to sign a full-time contract with an American promotion in 2019. Rose is a former AEW Women’s World Champion.
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