A Bermudian-born practitioner of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu will test her mettle in the squared circle this week as she takes part in a tryout for World Wrestling Entertainment.

Reina Maypa was scheduled to fly to the wrestling company’s Orlando-based Performance Centre today to join other athletes at the tryouts.

She said she was initially approached about the opportunity on Instagram, where she regularly posts about BJJ and her personal experiences.

“I thought I was being scammed at first,” she said. “Even after the video call with the talent agent I was thinking I was probably going to get my organs stolen.”

Ms Maypa, who trains at Open Mat Bermuda, said she decided to try her hand at BJJ after being involved in a domestic violence situation and realised from her first class that it was something she needed in her life.

“It honestly changed my life,” she said. “It’s a really tough workout. It teaches you to control your emotions under pressure.

“In the beginning, you get stuck in a position and you panic, but you build confidence in the positions, you learn how to get out of them.

“I just wish I did this earlier in my life. I would encourage anyone to try it. I would encourage parents to put their kids in it to at least build a notion of self defence.

“It’s especially important for girls, teaching them that strong bodies and self defence are important. That would have changed the trajectory of my life.”

Since getting involved in BJJ, Ms Maypa has competed internationally at the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation Pan No-Gi Championship. She won a bronze medal in 2024.

Ms Maypa said that she had not watched a lot of wrestling but had studied it in advance of her tryout.

She added: “I didn’t realise how much grit and athleticism is involved. These are proper athletes getting into this and that is really what appeals to me.

“I definitely feel like I have impostor syndrome going into it but at least recently my life motto has been to feel the fear and just do it anyway. So I’m very scared but excited.

“I like a new challenge.”

She added that one WWE superstar that has caught her attention was Iyo Sky, a former WWE Women’s Champion and current WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion.

“I am obsessed by Iyo Sky,” she said. “I think she’s insane. She just throws herself off the ropes.

“I don’t think she actually thinks about things before she does them and I hope that I can emulate that.”

While Ms Maypa said she was nervous about the performance aspect of wrestling, she was confident in her athletic abilities.

“We do wrestle a lot and I’m usually the smallest person in the room,” she said. “Everyone else is 30 to 50lb heavier than me.

“I fight men. It’s only me and one other woman in here so I have had to work a little harder to hold my own.”