The complete transition story of WWE’s first transgender star, Gabbi Tuft
Gabbi Tuft fka Tyler Reks in WWE, came out of the closet in February 2021, identifying as Gabbi Tuft.
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Tyler Reks and Gabbi Tuft (via WWE and NBC News)
Life is unpredictable in more than one way. Such was the case of former WWE star Tyler Reks. Reks would later be known as Gabbi Tuft, and be the first transgender athlete from the WWE universe.
Tyler Reks, an alpha male with a dreadlocks style, had a dominating presence in WWE. The 280-pound wrestler made a name for himself in the promotion coming from a bodybuilding background. However, he later came out as a woman named Gabbi, showing feminine traits and feeling comfortable in her skin. The news at that time was shocking and made headlines due to its progressive nature.
Tuft decided to bring a lasting change to her life in February 2021. She was already married to her wife, Priscilla Tuft, since 2002, who backed her decision to be herself. Then Gabe Tuft transitioned to Gabbi. Learn more about her story now.
Tyler Reks’ WWE career
Reks developed his interest in wrestling from a bodybuilding background. In his late 20s, he started training with Mike Bell for professional wrestling. Tyler was signed with FCW in early 2008 as a tag team with Fandango. At the end of the year, the duo captured the FCW Tag Team Championship and held it for 139 days. A few months after that, he even won the FCW Heavyweight Title defeating Drew McIntyre.
His main roster debut happened with ECW matches in 2009, which took him to Raw and SmackDown for dark matches. Tyler’s later time on SmackDown in 2010 made him an instant jobber and a filler for powerhouses. After a few years on Raw in 2011, he continued his short-lived feuds and dabbled in NXT in between. In mid-August 2012, though, Reks asked for a release to spend time with his family.
Wrestling departure and re-discovering herself
The hyper-masculine star was wrestling with a secret. The hints of his sexuality were known to him from his childhood when he found comfort in dressing up as a female. But the societal judgments restricted him from having even the thought of being ‘herself’. Three years into his WWE career, he decided to step down and look out for his daughter, Mia.
When all seemed to be going well, Tuft had to undergo open-heart surgery in 2019. The second chance at life after the surgery made him think of living life on his terms. Knowing that his life would be short, Gabe wanted to live while being true to himself and recalled his boyhood when he dressed up as a female. The more he dressed that way, the more comfortable he felt, and adopted it as his lifestyle.
Coming out of the closet and its effects
In September 2020, Gabe told his plans to his wife, Priscilla, who in turn helped him. Tuft was open to whatever happened and backed her husband. Gabe initially thought this idea might affect his marriage and took a step back, but then again felt the discomfort in his own body. But the plan was revisited with the support of Priscilla, which ultimately paved the way for the transition.
In February 2021, Gabbi took to social media and felt like her true self. But society was not ready to accept her and she faced opposition. Gabbi struggled to find acceptance, but from inside, she felt free after coming out of a dark place. Tuft then helped others who went through the same, showing them that there is always a light at the end of the tunnel!
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Parth Agnihotri
(597 Articles Published)