History was made in the pro wrestling world today at Impact Pro Wrestling: New Zealand‘s Nightmare Before Christmas show, when transgender wrestler Candy Lee defeated IPW:NZ Women’s Champion Britenay to become the company’s new Women’s Champion. Candy Lee becomes the first transgender woman to win a major indie women’s title.

Candy Lee Becomes First Transgender Women’s Champion

Candy Lee (real name Leilani Tominiko) is a 22-year old Samoan wrestler who trained at the IPW Training Academy, making her debut with Impact Pro Wrestling last October. While not the first transgender pro wrestler – American wrestler Amanda “The Blood Thirsty Vixen” debuted first in 2011 with American Wrestling Alliance (AWA) and in the UK, Harley Ryder made her debut in 2013. Amanda also won a title, winning the WILD Women’s Championship from Lucky O’Shea in 2011, in the now defunct World Independent Ladies Division (WILD) Wrestling promotion in California.