Leilani Tominiko Explained

Leilani Tominiko
Birth Date: df=y August 30, 1995
Birth Place:Samoa

Leilani Tominiko (born 30 August 1995) is a Samoan-New Zealander professional wrestler, better known by the ring name Candy Lee. She is the first openly transgender professional wrestler in New Zealand.[1] She is a former IPW NZ Women's Champion and Maniacs United New Zealand Professional Wrestling Women's Champion.

Early life

Tominiko was born in Samoa, and relocated to Auckland, New Zealand with her family when she was five years old.[2] She has seven brothers and one sister.[3] The family was raised in West Auckland, attending Liston College and later transferring to Kelston Girls' College. Tominiko was bullied by her peers as a child. She has noted that this bullying led her to watch WWE's Royal Rumble on television as a form of escapism.[4]

Professional wrestling career

In 2016, Tominiko made her professional wrestling debut with Impact Pro Wrestling, where she would go on to become a three-time IPW NZ Women's Champion and one-time Armageddon Cup winner.[5] [6] Tominiko also wrestled for promotions such as Shimmer Women Athletes, Rise Wrestling, and Melbourne City Wrestling.[7] [8]

Personal life

Tominiko identifies as fa'afafine and transgender. She is also vegan, as of 2018.

Championships and accomplishments

References

  1. Web site: 9 January 2024 . NZ's first pro transgender wrestler . 8 January 2024 . NZ Herald . en-NZ.
  2. Web site: Casey . Alex . 7 April 2019 . How Candy Lee is candy crushing the wrestling world . 8 January 2024 . The Spinoff . en.
  3. Book: McEvoy, Matt . 30 Queer Lives: Conversations with LGBTQIA+ New Zealanders . Massey University Press . 2022 . 31–38.
  4. Web site: 23 November 2018 . Watch: Transitioning from bullied kid to wrestling champ . 9 January 2024 . RNZ . en-nz.
  5. Web site: Native Affairs - Wrestlemania Kiwi Style . 9 January 2024 . Te Ao Māori News . en.
  6. Web site: 30 November 2018 . Interview: Candy Lee Is All Sweet Everything . 9 January 2024 . Daily DDT . en-US.
  7. Web site: Santos . Spenser . Review: SHIMMER 116 . Pro Wrestling Post . 23 March 2024 . 4 November 2019.
  8. Web site: Apps . Jamie . Preview: Melbourne City Wrestling (MCW) – Nine . Last Word on Sports . 23 March 2024 . 9 October 2019.
  9. Web site: Bell . Brian . Candy Lee beats Dark Sheik and Edith Surreal . Outsports . 23 March 2024 . 22 June 2022.