Words: Megan Ambers
There’s a hush before Maya World steps from behind the curtain—not silence, but reverence. The level of respect shown is akin to elder or OG, someone who has been here before and will be remembered long past her time. She doesn’t just walk into a room—she alters its chemistry. What makes it all the more striking is how new she still is to the game. While most wrestlers spend years chasing this kind of presence—Maya is already moving like a seasoned veteran. In a business where Black women have been expected to shrink their personalities for fear of upstaging their counterparts to being overlooked and underappreciated, Maya illuminates in every ring she steps in—unbothered and undeniable. She is the moment and she wants everyone to know it.
“I feel like people have always complimented my in-ring ability,” Maya explained. “I say ‘I’m the it girl or that girl’ because I’ve put in the work to be the it girl or that girl. [And] I mean, it shows whether it’s in the ring, in the character, [or] in the promos.”
At the tender age of 22, Maya has experienced a career that most independent wrestlers can only dream of. Over the last three years, the native Texan has wrestled in multiple promotions, including Reality of Wrestling, Ring of Honor, AEW, and Stardom. As she travels the world, stamping her name as often as her passport, Maya’s already seized multiple titles, and she is nowhere near done collecting gold. In the last year, she stacked up an impressive resume: inaugural ROW Women’s Tag Team Champion (alongside Jada Stone), as well as a certified Triple Crown Champion on the singles scene, holding the Inspire Pro Pure Prestige, HOT Women’s, and VIP Women’s Championships.
For the rising star, it’s never just about the belts, it’s about the blueprint—figuratively and literally. Maya found inspiration in blue hair and boss energy—Mercedes Moné, formerly known as Sasha Banks. “She definitely is [a major inspiration],” Maya said, her face gleaming with admiration. “I watched wrestling way before her, but the thing is, I didn’t [want to] wrestle until I [saw] her because she [is] also a black girl—it was her swag. She was so good that I was like, ‘dang, I can do that. I wanna be her.’ I wanted to be heard.”
But while Maya still looks up to her idols, she is well aware that there are young Black girls looking up to her now, too. “I hope they see that when they see me,” she shared, “which I had a few little girls say. Even if they don’t know me, it’s the first time seeing me—I don’t think I’ve even wrestled yet—I was in the gear, in character and they were like, ‘wow, like I wanna wrestle just like you.’ And it was really cute.” Inspiring others is a part of her purpose—but Maya has her eyes set on standing across from the very women who have inspired her career. “Mercedes is the easy answer. I feel like that one’s a no brainer,” she said. “I really love IYO Sky. Obviously Bianca [Belair]. I need to get in the ring with them. But Bianca, in my world—that would fulfill my life, because that’s not even one of those things that’s on my dream match list. Because I don’t even know if that’d be possible to happen. [But] that would fulfill my life for sure.”
That dream might feel out of reach for now—but Maya’s ambitions are far from fantasy. With multiple titles under her belt and a reputation rising across continents, she has her mind set on a future paved with global recognition. “Japan is definitely like [a goal of mine] right now. Besides getting signed, of course getting a contract is my number one goal,” she explained. “Honestly, a world tour because I do want to go to the UK. [For example], they call Athena, who is also one of my mentors—the American Joshi. [And] I don’t want to take her thing, but I wanna be the mini version of that. She’s still here, she’s still doing her thing, she’s still thriving as the best in the world. And I want to adapt to all those different wrestling styles and bring them all together.” Japan isn’t just a dream destination—it’s a necessary chapter in her journey. “When I was starting, I watched a lot of Joshi and that’s the style I want to wrestle in. So, I definitely want to go to Japan. Which [it] has been in the works.”
But beyond ambition, what anchors her is legacy. “In five years, they’ll say, ‘I’m not surprised that she’s one of the best wrestlers in the world. From the moment she started, she worked—and that’s why she is signed. That’s why she’s still on merch. That’s why she looks that good,’” she laughed. “They’ll say ‘She’s living her dream and her passion.’ Maya World is that girl because she had a dream, she chased it, and became the best at what she does. She worked hard for it. She is that girl.”