When Medina Ali stepped into the wrestling ring for the first time as Xena Phoenix, she was carrying more than just nerves.

Under the bright lights and in front of a packed crowd, the daughter of Albanian immigrants knew she was representing something bigger than herself — her family, her heritage and a community rarely seen in professional wrestling.

For Medina, the journey began long before the ring.

Born and raised in Los Angeles, she is the daughter of Albanian immigrants from Montenegro who arrived in the United States during the 1990s in search of a better life. Growing up, she watched her parents build everything from the ground up, overcoming language barriers and uncertainty to create new opportunities for their family.

“Seeing how hard my parents worked for the life that they’ve built for themselves and for our family inspired me at a really young age” Medina told Atlantiku.

Their sacrifices shaped her mindset.

“Seeing them go through that made me realize that whatever I set my mind to, I could accomplish.”

Being Albanian, she says, has always been central to her identity.

“I was always so proud of my roots and my culture. When I decided to enter the world of professional wrestling, I knew immediately that I wanted to represent my culture.”

Ironically, wrestling was never part of the plan.

While studying film in college, Medina joined an MMA gym simply to stay active. What began as a hobby quickly turned into a passion. Inspired by athletes such as Ronda Rousey, she immersed herself in combat sports, moving from boxing to Muay Thai and eventually to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

“When I found jiu-jitsu, it was the first time in my life that I felt so connected to something” she says.

The journey was not easy. Women were often outnumbered in the gyms where she trained and in the tournaments where she competed. But those experiences only strengthened her determination.

Then, almost by accident, another opportunity appeared.

A wrestling tryout introduced her to a world that combined athleticism, discipline and storytelling. Curious, she enrolled in a wrestling academy, only to discover that professional wrestling demanded more from her than anything she had experienced before.

“It was the toughest training that I had ever experienced” she recalls.

At one point, she stepped away and returned to jiu-jitsu. Wrestling seemed too difficult, perhaps even unrealistic. Then came the call that changed everything. In early 2024, WOW — Women of Wrestling — invited her to a tryout.

“When I walked in that day, I was offered a contract to train as a pro wrestler.”

Her proudest moment came later, when she made her debut as Xena Phoenix.

“I had never been so nervous in my life, but I had never been so proud of something that I was doing and representing.”

For Medina, stepping into the ring was about more than a personal achievement. It was a chance to make Albanian identity visible in a space where it had rarely been represented before.

“Being Albanian and representing it in that ring meant the world to me.”

Today, Medina has become the first Albanian female professional wrestler — another example of a new generation of Albanians making their mark in unexpected places around the world.

As her story reaches more Albanians across the United States, Europe and the Balkans, she remains grateful for the support she has received.

“Thank you so much for all the support. You all have made this journey worthwhile.”

Her message to young Albanians is simple:

“If you have a dream and a passion that’s placed inside your heart, you have permission to go out there, take up space, and go after it.”

For the daughter of immigrants who found her place in one of America’s most unexpected arenas, those words are more than advice. They are the story of her life./ATLANTIKU