Transgender professional wrestling star Gabbi Tuft is getting closer to returning to the ring. Those social media taunts to keep the hype train rolling may manifest sooner than most believe.
In an exclusive interview with DailyMail.com, Tuft revealed that he had a “great conversation” with All Elite Wrestling CEO Tony Khan on Valentine’s Day.
“He’s a great guy and I can tell you very, very clearly that mom is coming,” Tuft said.
Has Tuft been in contact with Khan and AEW’s top brass since then?
“I can’t talk about that,” Tuft added, grinning 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 her entering an arena where AEW was holding a show in February.
Here’s Tuft before and after her transition, where she was known as Tyler Reks in WWE
Tuft’s path back to professional wrestling is unique in several ways. If he signs 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, and was fired 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.
He hasn’t participated in a sanctioned match since, and returning to the ring is also something Tuft, 45, never dreamed of doing again this time a year ago.
His whole world changed when he went through the ropes at Madison Square Garden before an episode of WWE Smackdown! last year as part of a New York Times article.
What has happened since Tuft felt the canvas under his feet again has been a whirlwind that not even Tuft could have predicted. He has trained with AEW veteran Dustin Rhodes, better known to WWE fans as Goldust.
Tuft has also run the ropes in ‘The Dungeon 2.0’ led 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 rekindling his passion for professional wrestling, Tuft has rubbed shoulders with many other notable stars of the squared circle 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,” he said Tuft.
‘I didn’t make the transition to come back to wrestling and dominate a women’s division. That’s not why I do it,” Tuft added. ‘I’m doing this because I’m something totally different.
“And I know that, but I am the best possible version of this human being sitting before you that I can be, and 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 I can captivate a crowd, including everyone listening right now,” Tuft said. “That’s what’s going to set me apart.”
And I have mastered that. I know my value. I know who I am. “I know what I’m capable of and I’m not going to stop until my face is back on the TV screen,” 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 lost about 100 pounds since starring as Reks by changing his diet and exercise routine. Reks was billed as being 6-foot-2 and weighing around 250 pounds throughout his WWE career.
Tuft has been working on a new character with Dustin Rhodes for several months and returned to 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 returns to official matches, she could be fighting men, women, or both.
It’s unclear what exactly was discussed between Khan and Tuft, apparently at the HEB Center in Cedar Park, Texas, where AEW’s flagship weekly show ‘Dynamite’ was filmed that night.
Being on Khan’s radar is never a bad thing, as he runs the second-largest American professional wrestling company behind WWE, with a national television deal with TBS and TNT.
Tuft along with two other people can be seen on February 14 entering the Austin-area venue, identified by social media comments as his brother and his ex-wife, passing an 18-wheeler with the logo of AEW and the faces of several. of the company’s wrestlers, including Adam Cole and Britt Baker.
‘Mother is coming’ has been Tuft’s slogan prompting his return to professional wrestling
Tuft worked for WWE from 2008 to 2012 and lived a life away from wrestling for the past decade.
The video of the trio entering the HEB Center was published by Tuft herself on social media.
Tuft said his first time backstage at a major wrestling event in more than a decade was an AEW show in December 2023 in San Antonio. He then visited him again several weeks later, when he spoke to Khan.
“If you go back to when (AEW) was in San Antonio, that was the first time I was backstage, at any event, in 11 years,” Tuft said.
“And all the guys 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 seeing them for the first time since my transition, seeing them for the first time in 11 years, was an incredible experience.”
‘No one judged. Nobody cared. They say, “Oh my God! You’re here!” It was funny, Adam Copeland, the moment he saw me he was like “Oh my God! Big hug!” “Mark Henry was there, same as a big hug,” 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. “Everyone was there,” Tuft concluded.
Tuft also spoke incredibly highly of his interactions with current members of the WWE roster since returning to professional wrestling.
Tuft was seen with two others entering HEB Arena in Cedar Park, Texas, several weeks ago.
As Tuft promises to eventually return to television, will it be with Tony Khan and AEW?
Pro wrestling’s biggest weekend of the year is here and Tuft has stated on social media that he will be in Philadelphia for the show.
In addition to WrestleMania 40 taking place this weekend, dozens of other promotions are holding shows in smaller venues to capitalize on the fans coming from around the world to the former home of Extreme Championship Wrestling.
There may be no better place for “mother is coming” to become “mother has arrived” than with all the eyes of the pro wrestling world glued to Philadelphia.
“Fans can expect a slight throwback to who he might have been before,” Tuft said. “You can expect to see something completely unique, because half the world will love me.” Half the world will hate me. But everyone will be watching.”