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Tamyra Mensah-Stock, a trailblazer in amateur wrestling, has decided to switch gears and embark on a new journey in professional wrestling. Following her historic win at the Tokyo Olympics, the gold medalist has signed a contract with WWE, as confirmed by WWE officials to ESPN on Tuesday.
Mensah-Stock's groundbreaking achievement at the Tokyo Games made her the first Black woman to secure a gold medal in freestyle wrestling, competing in the 68-kilogram category. At 30 years old, Mensah-Stock had been considering a move to WWE since her Olympic victory in 2021.
However, she continued her amateur wrestling career and subsequently won her second world title at the 2022 world championship held in Belgrade, Serbia. She finished third in the 2021 world championships, prompting her to push further.
Mensah-Stock's WWE Aspirations
Reflecting on her decision, Mensah-Stock said, "I didn't want to end my career on that note. So I did another world championship, wiped the floor with everybody, and was like, 'Man, this is not fun anymore.
I need a change.' Something in the back of my head that's just been itching at me, a dream for I don't know how long. I just wanted to be in the WWE." Mensah-Stock, hailing from Texas, will begin her professional wrestling journey in WWE's developmental program.
On Monday, she reported to the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida, as she informed ESPN. She has set an ambitious goal – to make it to WWE's main roster within one year. Expressing her admiration for professional wrestling, Mensah-Stock said, "I love watching the athletes just in the ring, just going what they do best.
I see their personalities shine through the television, and I see their strength. Everything about them resembles me, and I've just wanted to be a part of that." Though she briefly considered a career in mixed martial arts, Mensah-Stock had reservations about the weight class she would fit into and the potential injuries that could come with the sport.
She stated, "I don't like the idea of potentially getting submitted and an arm broken or aggressiveness like that. I don't want to make weight anymore. Let's just be honest." Another Tokyo gold medalist, Gable Steveson, signed with WWE in 2021 and joined the developmental program.
Steveson has since returned to amateur wrestling and is expected to attempt to join the Olympic team for the 2024 Paris Games.