Current IMPACT Knockouts Champion Trinity Fatu is still set to be back in WWE in a matter of weeks.
The former Naomi hasn’t been seen in WWE since she walked out of Monday Night Raw alongside her partner Mercedes Mone (formerly known as Sasha Banks) back in May of 2022. The two reportedly butted heads with then-CEO Vince McMahon over creative plans for the show’s main event, and after leaving in the middle of Raw, the two were blasted on commentary as “selfish.” They were stripped of their tag team titles and suspended without pay.
In April of 2023, Trinity signed with IMPACT Wrestling, where she was recently dethroned as Knockouts Champion. However, according to a report from Fightful Select, the star’s time with IMPACT is likely coming to a close.
According to the report, sources within TNA indicate that Fatu is expected to be a free agent soon. At TNA Hard to Kill on January 13th, Trinity would drop the Knockouts Championship to Jordynne Grace, further fuelling speculation that her time with the promotion had come to an end.
The next day, TNA taped future episodes of weekly TV. In a somewhat surprising move, Trinity was present at the tapings, facing Grace in a rematch for the title. With it being long rumoured that the former Knockouts Champion is set to depart imminently, there has been speculation that Trinity may remain with TNA.
As reported by Sean Ross Sapp and corroborated by Dave Meltzer, Trinity will work the Orlando tapings in her final appearance with the company. After this, the return is expected, likely in the Royal Rumble match.
WWE Sources Confident The Former Naomi Will Return
Back at the start of the year, Fightful was told that WWE was confident the former SmackDown Women’s Champion would be returning, with sources in TNA also indicating to Fightful that they expect her to return to her former employer sooner than later.
On January 2nd, one WWE source told Fightful that “something huge would have to happen for her to not end up back in WWE sooner than later, but this is a crazy free agent period.”
The report regarding the TNA star departing imminently has been corroborated in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, stating that Naomi will return when she becomes a free agent:
Trinity Fatu (Naomi) will return here shortly after finishing up her TNA contract. Fightful first reported that it was likely and our WWE sources said it was expected and in the current plans. There had been unofficial talks with her dating back nearly a year and those in TNA expected this would happen when her deal was up
While Fatu is likely on her way back, the status of her former tag team partner is still uncertain. It was previously reported Mercedes Mone is no longer in talks with WWE and is expected to be a part of AEW soon. However, at the time of writing, Mone has still yet to appear on AEW programming.