A look back at Aliyah’s time with WWE.
Aliyah’s eight-year run with WWE came to an end in September 2023. She was released from the company as a part of their batch of talent cuts.
She spoke about how life has been for her post-WWE and told the Johnny I Pro Show that it’s been amazing.
I know (people have wanted me to get on a microphone). Oh my God, sorry it took so long y’all. I miss y’all so much. You have no idea.
Life is amazing. I don’t know about you but, I am really looking forward (to) going on vacation. We’ve got three coming up. We’ve got Greece. You know, I’m really excited to go to Santorini and then we also got Turkey on the list — that I’ve never been. My grandma on my mom’s side, she’s Turkish so that’s really exciting and the one I’m most, most, most excited for, you ready for this y’all? Iraq! We’re gonna head to Iraq and I’ve never been. My dad’s side of the family’s from there and I’m so excited so, man, I’m just really excited to go on vacation.
She went on to recount highlights from her time in the company and one of those came by way of current WWE Women’s Champion Bayley. After they wrestled on an August 2022 episode of Raw in Aliyah’s home country of Canada, she had a backstage segment with Bayley, IYO SKY, Dakota Kai and fellow Canadian, Trish Stratus.
She thinks Bayley went to the powers that be and requested that segment so Aliyah could have a moment with Trish. She credited Bayley as a locker room leader.
Fun fact, a little story here, Bayley, she’s awesome. I just wanna say a huge congrats to her. She’s champ right now and she’s absolutely killing it. So, I think I was just scheduled to wrestle Bayley in that match. I think Bayley went out of her way that day and she went to the writers and the producers and she pitched that backstage promo with Trish Stratus for me to have it with Trish and I’m so beyond grateful for Bayley. She’s such an amazing locker room leader and she does little things like that to stand up for the other girls if she has an idea and she’ll go pitch it, you know? Just to make the show better.
From 2015-2021, Aliyah was part of the NXT roster. She enjoyed her time with the brand and feels she did the most she was allowed to do.
NXT was a ride. I loved NXT, loved that my job was, you know, I get to wake up, I got to train, travel to the show, be on television for how many years. I had fun in NXT and I did the best and the most that I was able and allowed to do if that makes sense.
She went on to state that teaming with Raquel Rodriguez was her favorite thing she got to do in the company. Together, they captured the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships.
In Aliyah’s last documented match, her and Raquel dropped the titles to IYO SKY and Dakota Kai. She expressed how proud she is of the match seeing as how she wrestled with an elevated rib and sprained AC joint.
Oh my goodness. It was my favorite, favorite, favorite, favorite, favorite, favorite, favorite, favorite thing I got to do there. Organically, the crowd loved us.
When we went out there, it was just magic. I just came out there and I was just having a ball with my muscle. She was the muscle, I was the little pipsqueak and together, we were just the vibes and the ones that know, know. The ones that get it, get it and the ones that don’t, guess what? You never f*cking will so buh-bye.
The level of dissociation (I had in my last match), I was blown away. I was like, woah! We’ve done it. We’ve done it with this one. I was pushing through and you could really see the emotions and everything and I’m really proud of that match.
Aliyah, real name Nhooph Al-Areebi has not wrestled since September 2022. She is 29 years old.
If the quotes in this article are used, please credit the Johnny I Pro Show with an H/T to POST Wrestling for the transcriptions.
