World Wrestling Entertainment continues to add exciting young stars from various athletic backgrounds to build their future professional wrestling rosters.
Tamyra Mensah-Stock is the latest to join WWE, who won the Olympic gold medal in freestyle wrestling for the United States at the Tokyo Games in 2021.
WWE revealed the news to ESPN on Tuesday that they’d signed Mensah-Stock to a contract, and she also appeared in an ESPN interview to share her announcement.
“I feel like I have done everything that I can in Olympic wrestling. I’ve got the gold medal. I’m a multiple world champion and I’ve been in it for 15 years and I’ve had an incredible journey. Some of the greatest coaches, friends- it’s been awesome, but now I’m gonna be going into the W-W-E,” she said excitedly.
Mensah-Stock was the first Black woman to win the gold in freestyle wrestling at the Olympics. In addition, she won the 2022 world championship in Belgrade, Serbia.
Based on ESPN’s report, Mensah-Stock said she reported to WWE Developmental Center this past Monday and aims to make it to the company’s main roster within a year.
Mensah-Stock revealed why she wanted to be part of WWE
According to ESPN, Mensah-Stock had considered another path in terms of competition. She thought about getting into mixed martial arts but wasn’t sure which weight class would’ve been natural for her. Instead, she opted to join WWE, which she’d contemplated since at least 2021.
“I love watching the athletes just in the ring, just going what they do best,” she said, per ESPN. “I just see their personalities just shine through the television, and I see their strength. Just everything about them resembles me, and I’ve just wanted to be a part of that.”
Mensah-Stock said her third-place finish at the world championships in 2021 prompted her to continue with amateur college wrestling and pursue championships.
“I wiped the floor with everybody, and I 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 of mine for I don’t know how long. I just wanted to be in the WWE,” she said.
Mensah-Stock joins other prominent WWE signees
Mensah-Stock is the latest to make headlines as WWE adds talented stars from various athletic backgrounds to their rosters. Within the past year or so, they revealed that wrestler Gable Steveson had signed with them.
Per ESPN’s report, Steveson returned to amateur wrestling recently and will attempt to make the Olympic team for the 2024 Paris Games.
The WWE also has the Next In Line program, which Steveson became one of the earliest signees for in 2021 following the NCAA’s name, image, and likeness policy change. In addition, the Miami Hurricanes basketball twins Haley and Hanna Cavinder are signed with WWE under a NIL deal.
Monsters and Critics reported last month that the Cavinder twins teased their involvement with WWE as they chose to forego their final year of eligibility to play college basketball. More recently, it was revealed the Cavinders would begin their WWE training soon in Orlando.
Other athletes signed with the company include LSU Track & Field star Alia Armstrong, Cincinnati football player Cameron Jones, and Mary Washington tennis star Alexandra Jaksec.