Nhooph Al-Areebi, formerly known as Aliyah in WWE, has confirmed she is not retired from professional wrestling. Despite having competed only twice on the independent circuit since her release in September 2023, Al-Areebi addressed her future in an interview with PWMania, declaring her belief that her “best is yet to come.”
“I’ve always felt like my best is yet to come, which is why I know I’m not done yet,” she stated. “I’m still too athletic, talented, beautiful, and marketable to retire this young — it just doesn’t make sense.”
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Since her WWE exit, Al-Areebi’s most recent in-ring appearance was a victory over Zayda Steel at a Destiny Wrestling show on February 16. She has also pursued ventures outside of wrestling, highlighting a sold-out DJ appearance and her success in show jumping, where she has won multiple championships in Florida. “The sky is truly the limit for me,” she added.
This confidence in her marketability is partly rooted in a specific moment from her WWE tenure. Al-Areebi recently reflected on setting the record for the fastest victory in WWE history on the January 14, 2022, episode of Friday Night SmackDown. In a match against Natalya, she secured an immediate pinfall with a roll-up as soon as the bell rang.
She explained that because she “wasn’t their main star, the one they were actively trying to highlight,” the strong positive reaction from the live audience felt especially significant. For Al-Areebi, the moment proved that she “could still make the audience feel something real,” affirming her ability to connect with fans through authenticity, regardless of her position on the card.
During her eight years with WWE, Aliyah’s only main roster championship was a 14-day reign as WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion with Raquel Rodriguez in 2022.
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