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In 2019, ‘Phoenix’ was the talking point in Malaysia’s pro wrestling scene, as well as similar circles in Asia and the United Kingdom. The petite young wrestler, dressed in black with red and yellow blazes, received thunderous cheers from the crowds before even entering the ring for a match.
In July of 2019, she made history by becoming the first female winner of the Malaysia Pro Wrestling (MyPW) Wrestlecon championship. Her victory drew international attention. With the help of her family, she joined MyPW in 2015 and competed in her first match a few months later. Nor quit her job after her MyPW victory to train with the UK’s Pro Wrestling: EVE in London. Her involvement in the sport had sparked a growing interest in wrestling among young women in Malaysia.
It’s not just that she was the first hijab-wearing wrestler in the world that wowed audiences; it was that they could almost feel her implacable tenacity and commitment every time she showed up.
Nor Diana has been featured on international platforms such as The Guardian and ESPN in recent years. In matches, she’s faced bigger and more intimidating opponents, sometimes winning, and sometimes losing – all under the close watch of her coach, Ayez Shaukat-Fonseka.
How did your interest in wrestling start?
Growing up, I used to play games on my PSP, and one of my favorite ones was WWE. I honestly didn’t know that wrestling matches like these even existed outside of my game. When I found out about WWE sports, I started watching pro wrestling often.
What kind of training that you undergo and how often do you train?
I train in wrestling twice a week, and the gym 4 times a week. Wrestling is a very physical sport, so we must also be athletically inclined. For wrestling training, we usually start with warm-ups followed by tumbling drills (like in gymnastics), and then we move on to techniques. We also learn the art of storytelling in the ring. It’s really interesting and more in-depth than most people think.
What goes through your mind when you first step into the ring?
When I’m in the ring, I take on a whole different persona: my stage character, Phoenix. She is different as compared to me personally. I am shy, reserved, and introverted. She is confident and outgoing. I love telling stories in the ring through pro-wrestling, entertaining the audience.
