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It’s no surprise that Trinity Fatu is a WWE superstar. Known as her alter-ego “Naomi” in the ring, just talking to her over the phone, her personality was vibrant. She likes to laugh and joke, and yes, entertain.
The 31-year-old from Sanford, Florida eats, sleeps and breathes wrestling. Trinity has been in the WWE for 10 years, is married to fellow WWE performer Jonathan Fatu, aka “Jimmy Uso” (one half of the Uso brothers, who are a part of the even bigger AnoaÊ»i family of Samoan wrestlers), and she both trains and eats in a strict manner to stay in shape to wrestle. If you watch Total Divas on E!, which is in its ninth season as of this October, you’ve seen Trinity at work and in her relationship. But we talked to the star about what people don’t get to see behind-the-scenes, including the physical commitments, the emotional struggles and what it’s really like being one of the few Black women excelling in the company. Find out how this former dancer ended up doing back-flips onto her opponents in the wrestling ring, the sacrifices she makes to stay TV-ready, and how her body has benefited and been beat up by the intensity of her WWE work.
MadameNoire: How did you get into wrestling? I know you have a background in dance and you were a cheerleader for the Orlando Magic, so how did that turn into you being a wrestler in the WWE?
Trinity Fatu: It was so crazy and random. At the time, I was dancing for the Orlando Magic and the WWE came to the Amway Center where we performed at as well. I even watched a show with one of the other dancers at the time and I was blown away. I saw the women perform and I had no idea. I never watched wrestling, never knew anything about wrestling. So when I saw the women I was like, “Holy crap! These girls are athletic and they’re beautiful! I want to try something like this.” From there I went and got myself a tryout through just word of mouth and talking to people, and my friend that I went with knew someone who worked with a wrestler so we got the information from them. I drove an hour and 45 minutes to Tampa from Orlando to try out. It all kind of started there. I didn’t hear back for months. I was about to do my third season with the Orlando Magic and then I got the call: “Hey, we’d like to hire you in our developmental program.” It was called FCW, which is now NXT in Orlando. That’s where I broke in and started. It’s been a roller coaster and amazing journey ever since then.
What did the tryout consist of? I’m curious since you were someone who danced but now needed to learn to wrestle. What did you have to show them?
[Laughs] My tryout was absolutely horrible because I didn’t know anything about wrestling. So really, I just stood in the ring and maybe took some bumps and they showed me a couple of things. I think on my own, I wouldn’t have made it. But at the end they were like, “Is there anything athletic you can do?” They wanted to see if I could pick up certain things fast. It was very difficult because I had no idea what I was doing. But they were able to see that I was naturally athletic. I did some dance stuff, some flips, just a whole bunch of random stuff that had nothing to do with wrestling, but I did it enough for them to see some potential. They were able to see that I was tough and I could take a hit so that’s what happened.
You’ve been wrestling since 2009. In the years since you’ve been doing this, how has your body benefited from being a wrestler and training for this intense, acrobatic work?
I think it’s allowed me to have tougher skin. I think naturally just from taking bumps and getting slammed, your body and your muscles toughen up. Your body adapts so that you’re able to endure it. I don’t think it made me a lot more solid, but it really just helped me stay on top of my health and stay ready, TV ready, because I’m on TV every week. I can’t ever let myself go and relax too much. I do have cheat days and I do love my snacks and I do like to eat what I want, but work and my appearance is very important, and my health. With this job, that’s a part of what I get paid to do. Being a performer requires you to look a certain way, so I make sure I don’t ever stray too far from the way I want to be and look.
How do you deal with that pressure? I get that in entertainment, if your body is a part of your work it has to be closely monitored. But as a person who wants to live and have fun and maybe have a funnel cake or something sometimes, how do you cope with all of that restriction? It sounds exhausting.
It becomes your lifestyle. It can be stressful at times, especially when HDTV came out. We all hated it because now you can really see everything. You can see all the little blemishes or whatever you’re insecure about at the time. Especially being in spandex every week. There are times when I feel not at my best or a little heavier or a little too small or a little too thick. But what I’ve learned is, we perform 300 days out of the year. We perform, we’re traveling and working 300 days out of the year, and for me, it just won’t be fun for me if I’m in shape, perfect diet and everything nearly all year. I would be miserable. So I give myself breaks and I allow myself to enjoy life and hang out and do those things as long as it’s all in moderation. That’s just what I’ve learned. Live your life but do it in moderation. Too much of anything ain’t good for you. If I feel like I’m overdoing it and working out too much, which I’ve done, I pull back a little bit. If I pull back too much, then I’ll get back on and do what I’ve got to do. It’s just moderation and making those lifestyle changes.
How has your body been impacted by the physicality of your sport and the injuries that can come along with it?
I’ve had a knee injury, slight tears, a broken eye socket through my whole orbital bone. Other than my sinuses and nose being messed up from that, I think I’m good [laughs]. I still feel strong. I still feel like, if I wanted to, I could go another 10 to 15 years, but I feel very fortunate as far as injuries and not having to have any major surgeries or things like that. I just want to stay strong and healthy.
What type of workouts keep you in tip-top shape?
For me, cardio is like my best friend. I do weights, but mostly, I hit that cardio like every day. That’s really what helps my core and reduces my body fat. I’m not the strongest and I will lift weights, but I don’t go too crazy because I like my body the way it is. I don’t want to be too fit. My husband kind of likes me the way I am and I like me the way I am [laughs]. I just do enough to maintain where I’m at. For me, it’s more cardio and what I make in the kitchen. I stick to the quote that says, “Abs are made in the kitchen.” That’s my main thing. Because of how my body works, to keep the weight off, I have to make sure what I put in my mouth is healthy and the right things. Not too much of the bad stuff.
What has been your experience, being one of the few Black women in the WWE?
I think I’ve had a great career and a great experience, however, I think being a woman and being a minority, there definitely have been certain obstacles I think for myself that I’ve had to navigate through or face that others may not understand or have had to deal with. But I think it’s made me who I am and a better performer. I think it has pushed me beyond limits and barriers that I didn’t even think I would be faced with or would be capable of overcoming. It’s been great. And the one thing I will say about the WWE is that I feel like it may not happen when you think it should happen or want it to happen, but we’re given those opportunities no matter who you are. I think the opportunities that I have been able to get and have been given, I’ve been able to capitalize on them and really represent for women and women of my culture. It’s been a blessing.
You have been married since 2014. With your work you travel, as you mentioned, 300 days a year. How does that hectic schedule, though you both are in the WWE and often do things together, impact your marriage to Jimmy? Does it at all?
Absolutely! All the time! But I wouldn’t want it any other way. Just like any other couple, we have good days and we have bad days. We have things that happen at work that we agree or don’t agree on, but you have to figure it out and we really don’t have time to stay mad at each other for too long. We travel together, we work together, we live together, so we’re just at a point in our relationship where we know how to deal with it and handle it. It took time and years. We met each other 10 years ago and we were both younger then and had some growing up to do, which I think we’ve done. It’s just a lot of things, being in this industry, that you’re not prepared for or ready for. Just as an individual and then you put being with someone on top of that in the same business and same industry. It can be challenging, but when you’re with the right one it all works out. That’s what we do know. You’ll see on Total Divas the bickering and arguments that we do have. It’s usually about work, wrestling and silly things, but I know I’ve got a great partner and I know and believe that we can get through anything. We’ve faced the worst of it already. That’s my rider right there [laughs]!
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You said with this being your job, your body has to look a certain way all of the time. Do people in your family put pressure on you guys for babies? If they do, do you worry about how expanding your family would impact your body and your work?
My family is so ready for me to have kids of my own. All of my cousins have had kids. All of my friends have had kids. I’m the only one. I’ve always wanted a big family, and honestly, I have baby fever so bad right now, but I’m trying to stay in that window of 35. I know the risk gets higher at a certain age so I’m really pushing it to the max. I’m going to give it a couple more years because there’s still some things I want to accomplish and that I want to do before I slow down or stop. I do know that when I do become a mother, I want to be there full time, and I really think I will be done with my wrestling career. So, yeah. I think when it happens it will happen and I’ll be okay with it.
How do you take care of yourself mentally? I know you travel a lot, you’re balancing a marriage and taking care of your physical health, but I know you said you also recently lost someone close to you, so how are you protecting yourself mentally when you take emotional hits like that?
I really had to for the first time ever in my career, I had to ask for some time away. Dealing with my cousin’s passing, who was like my sister — we are the same age and she was like my day one and she was like my everything — dealing with her death so abruptly and tragically, it did something to me. It was the hardest thing I’ve had to go through. I asked for time off and it was solely for my mental and emotional health. Then just a lot of life happened around that time. Our home flooded, my husband was going through things and sometimes I just think we’re so after the dream and after the goal that you kind of lose focus. Just taking the time off, I was able to reevaluate everything in my life and really be there for my family. That’s really what has uplifted me and kept me strong, just keeping a close-knit circle and making sure those people that do influence our lives are positive and want the same things for us that we want for ourselves. My family is always that for me and my backbone and they keep me on track whenever I am feeling down or overwhelmed or overburdened. I can always call my mom, my brothers. I have two beautiful stepkids that keep me motivated and that I love and that love me. All those things are what keeps me sane through everything that hits us with life.
Be sure to follow Trinity, aka, “Naomi,” on Instagram and check out the rest of our Fitness Fridays profiles here!
