Malaysia has plenty of well-known athletes who have made a name for themselves in their respective sports. They have competed in numerous international tournaments and even brought home medals as proof of their capabilities and credibility as professionals. Nor “Phoenix” Diana is taking a very different route, as she pursues a career in a sport no Malaysian woman has ventured into before: wrestling.
That’s right — the athlete has reached incredible milestones, becoming not only the first Malaysian woman to enter the US wrestling scene, but also the first hijabi to do so. In a recent Instagram post, she shared that she had met one of wrestling’s biggest legends, who offered her some valuable pointers for her career. Here’s the story:
Nor Diana Khamaruzaman, better known by her ring name, Nor “Phoenix” Diana, began training in wrestling in 2015 and has since competed in numerous local matches. She eventually made her international debut in Mexico, competing in the “Pride vs Mask” match, where the world was formally introduced to her. The athlete has continued to make a name for herself in the wrestling scene, even becoming the first female champion to defeat four men — including her own trainer, Shaukat.
Earlier today (Tuesday, 9th December), the Malaysian star posted a photo on her Instagram page of her meeting the one and only, the legendary John Cena. “Meeting @johncena wasn’t on my 2025 bingo card. Still surreal that I got to learn from one of the greatest ever. Grateful beyond words. Thank you for giving us your time and wisdom, even with your packed schedule. Just being invited was already a blessing… learning from the GOAT is truly priceless,” she captioned her post.
For some context, Nor Diana recently attended a wrestling camp where she had the opportunity to learn from both active and retired professional wrestlers to gain further insight, experience, and improve her skills. In addition to John Cena, she also had the chance to learn from WWE Women’s Champion Bayley, who organised the camp. Shortly after she shared the photo, Malaysian fans congratulated her on meeting one of her heroes, while others took the opportunity to joke that they couldn’t “see” John Cena in the picture, a nod to his famous catchphrase, “You can’t see me!”
Learning from legends is an opportunity few would pass up, and Nor Diana is certainly on her way to becoming a legend herself. We wish her all the best on her journey to leaving a legacy of her own.
Sources: Instagram, NST, The Sun Daily, WrestlerTalk
