Backstage Report On Future Of Trinity Fatu (Naomi In WWE)

Ever since joining Impact Wrestling/TNA Wrestling in April 2022, it’s been all sunshine and roses for Trinity, who is currently entering her sixth month as Knockouts Champion. It may also be her last month as champion, however, as Trinity appears to be contemplating a career move back to her old stomping grounds.

Fightful Select reports that Trinity’s contract with Impact/TNA is set to expire in the not-so-distant future and that the Knockouts Champion will be finishing up with the promotion. It’s unclear if Trinity’s last date will be the upcoming Hard to Kill PPV, where the promotion will officially rebrand back to TNA, or if she will continue to work through the end of the month.

As for what Trinity’s next move will be, those within WWE expect that she will return to the company, where she worked for over a decade under the name Naomi. One person within WWE believes a deal is so close that something drastic would have to occur to prevent Trinity from re-signing, though they pointed out that anything could happen in the current free agency market. WWE had previously sought to bring Trinity back last year but was prevented due to an unofficial hiring freeze. The move isn’t a surprise to those in TNA, who have long thought Trinity would return to WWE when her contract expired.

Trinity’s departure from WWE came under controversial circumstances, after she and then WWE Women’s Tag Team Title partner Mercedes Mone, then Sasha Banks, walked out of the promotion in May 2022 after disagreements with WWE Chairman Vince McMahon. While Trinity’s return to WWE is expected, the same cannot be said for Mone, who has broken off talks with WWE and is expected to sign with AEW.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Trinity’s Impact Wrestling Debut (Video)

Trinity has arrived in Impact Wrestling. The star formerly known as Naomi in WWE is taking her glow straight to the top with an eye on the Knockouts Championship. Trinity made her televised debut for Impact during Thursday night’s episode of Impact Wrestling (May 4, 2023).

Prior to the TV taping, Impact teased a major surprise. They spoiled the news to reveal Trinity was in the Impact Zone. Impact hyped Trinity’s appearance throughout the broadcast, and they gave her the main event slot. The time was here to feel the glow as Trinity walked through the curtain.

Trinity soaked in the standing ovation. She said it felt good to be in the ring again, especially in a place where she can glow.

Trinity chose Impact, because the company has the most-storied women’s division in wrestling. The Knockouts division is the place to be for fierce competition, and she wants a piece of it. There have been amazing wrestlers through the years from Awesome Kong and Gail Kim to current stars Mickie James, Deonna Purrazzo, and Jordynne Grace. We’ve seen Trinity win championships before, and now she’s here to win more. The brightest star in the galaxy is ready to shine. Trinity is here for the Knockouts Championship.

Enter Purrazzo. As current Knockouts champion, the Virtuosa took upon herself to be the first to welcome Trinity to Impact. She credited Trinity for doing her homework. That means Trinity should know that this is the new age of the Virtuosa. If Trinity does get a title shot against Purrazzo, that is not something Trinity can just walk out on. Shots fired! (That was a reference to Naomi and Sasha Banks walking out of WWE.)

Trinity retorted with fire of her own. Stepping in the ring with Trinity will make Purrazzo wish she gets fired again. (That is a reference to Purrazzo being released from NXT in 2020.)

Enter Grace. The Juggernaut wanted to remind them that she has a title match against Purrazzo at Under Siege on May 26. If Trinity wants to wrestle Purrazzo, that’s fine with Grace. If Trinity wants a title shot, then Grace is the one she should be coming for. Trinity stepped aside for Purrazzo and Grace to handle business. Trinity exited the ring to dance on stage as the show closed.

Source: CageSideSeats

Trinity Fatu, FKA Naomi In WWE, Reportedly Set To Make Impact Debut

With Mercedes Moné making waves in Japan with STARDOM and New Japan Pro-Wrestling, many have wondered what the future holds for her former WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship-winning partner Trinity Fatu (formerly known as Naomi in WWE).

PWInsider Elite is reporting that Trinity Fatu will debut for Impact Wrestling during this weekend’s taping in Cicero, Illinois, just across the border from Chicago. Impact had been teasing a big surprise for the tapings at Cicero Stadium, and it appears that surprise is Fatu. Not set to be just a one-off surprise appearance, the report states that this will mark the start of the former “SmackDown” Women’s Champion’s tenure with the promotion. There is no information on the length of her deal with the promotion.

The debut will mark her first appearance on a wrestling program since she and Moné walked out of WWE in May 2022, abandoning their women’s tag team titles out of frustration over the creative direction of the women’s tag division. There had been talk of Fatu joining her husband Jimmy Uso in the popular Bloodline faction, but nothing has come of those rumors. Fatu confirmed late last month on Instagram that she was completely finished with WWE.

Fatu’s partner Mercedes Moné debuted for New Japan Pro-Wrestling in January, also wrestling for NJPW’s sister promotion STARDOM as the IWGP Women’s Champion. Moné recently lost her title and has demanded a rematch in Long Beach, California at NJPW Resurgence. She recently signed an extension with the companies, which are both owned by Bushiroad.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

STARDOM Turned Down Signing Trinity Fatu Due To Financial Reasons

The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to ripple to various degrees throughout the professional wrestling industry. While promotions in the United States have largely returned to business as usual, those in Japan have seen things move along a bit more slowly. There were still a number of restrictions in place in recent months, and, as a result, Bushiroad — the parent company of both New Japan Pro-Wrestling and STARDOM — has had to navigate a tough road in recovering from the financial hits taken by the wrestling arm of the company, even as both promotions have grown. Because of the financial strain, both NJPW and STARDOM have been under pressure to keep costs down. That’s led to each passing on some opportunities that may have brought more eyes to the Japanese wrestling product. 

Per the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Trinity Fatu — formerly known during her time in WWE as Naomi — was there for the getting. With her former tag team partner Sasha Banks, who now goes by the moniker Mercedes Mone, carving her path to Japan, there was a chance for Fatu to join her. It appears as if feelers were put out to indicate her willingness to head overseas to re-enter the squared circle. However, Bushiroad felt it’d cost too much and, because of their money situation, ultimately passed on making such a deal — at least thus far.

Fatu has been out of action since she and Banks walked out of WWE over creative differences and were indefinitely suspended, never to return to this point. Fatu did make the trip to Wrestle Kingdom 17 in January to support her former partner as she made her NJPW debut and recently she was backstage at Ring of Honor’s Supercard of Honor over WrestleMania weekend. While doing other things, she has remained within reach of the wrestling business if the right situation presented itself for her to make a return. However, that has yet to materialize yet since she has become a free agent.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Trinity Fatu (Naomi) Is In Japan

In anticipation of Wednesday’s NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17 event from the Tokyo Dome, Naomi, real name Trinity Fatu, has confirmed through her Instagram Stories that she is in Tokyo, Japan.

As Mercedes Varnado, formerly known as Sasha Banks, is believed to be appearing at the Wrestle Kingdom 17 event, Naomi was expected to be in Japan, as reported by PWinsider.com.

It’s still unknown whether Naomi will appear at the event or is merely there to support her friend. After Banks negotiated her WWE release, Naomi’s WWE status is uncertain.

Source: ewrestlingnews