Zelina Vega Says WWE Backlash Changed Her Life Forever – Zelina Vega, who is of Puerto Rican heritage, challenged Rhea Ripley for the SmackDown Women’s Championship at Saturday’s WWE Backlash. Though she didn’t win the match, Vega received a huge reaction from the crowd that made her emotional.
Reflecting on the moment in a social media post on Sunday, Vega wrote that she’s so grateful for the support she received from everyone. Vega said it’s a match she’ll never forget — and it’s just the beginning of her journey to becoming a WWE Women’s Champion someday.
Vega also revealed that, after the match, Paul “Triple H” Levesque told Vega how proud he is of her.
Vega’s full post can be seen below:
o soy Boricua…pa’que tu lo sepas!!!
I woke up this morning with happy tears rolling down my face and PRAAAAYING that it wasn’t a dream like it always was.
I wish I could hug every. single. one of you in the audience and everyone sending their love from home. You have NO IDEA how much this meant to me. This weekend.. my life changed forever. I’m so honored.. so grateful and feel incredibly blessed to have had the support I had last night.. from the fans, my beautiful family, my hero’s, to my coworkers.. to finally hearing HHH say ‘I’m so proud of you.’ …and he was talking to me this time I’m crying even typing this. To represent my people IN Puerto Rico.. man, I’ll never ever forget this.. neither will my family.. and I promise, you’ll get all of me EVERY TIME. This is not over, this is just the beginning.. someday I will become @wwe Women’s Champion.
‘A hero is not one who never falls, it’s the one who gets up again and again.. never losing sight of their dreams.’ – Rock Lee
MASSIVE THANK YOU to the village that created the masterpiece I wore yesterday. @herhandstyles stayed with me every step of the way making sure my hair was on point! #teamNOsleep @usamaishtay worked so hard on the whole outfit AND BEAUTIFUL FLAG.. I felt like a super hero, a princess and rockstar all at once! #LaReina @bfabulous1 slayed my make up and made sure that no matter how hard I cried, I’d still glitter like gold! @mache275 them crystals bruh!!! insanely iconic kicks! @tansby_lp for getting my tan just right and accentuating my abs
I’m SO LUCKY to have you all
Puerto Rico.. I love you!!
LWO mi familia.. I’m honored to stand alongside all of you. Thank you for having my back and inspiring me to keep fighting. @619iamlucha @escobarwwe @joaquinwilde_ @deltoro_wwe @badbunnypr @iambeckyg
And now, I get to be the arms of my 7 fur babies & my incredibly supportive and loving husband @malakaiblxck .. I wouldn’t be where I am personally or professionally without him. Have to say, hitting the 619 for Rey, shimmying for Eddie Guerrero and then dropping Rhea with a meteora for my husband was the coolest thing ever.
Daddy, I love you.
The match between Vega and Ripley was part of the LWO’s feud with Judgment Day. While Ripley was successful in her match, Damian Priest lost a street fight to Bad Bunny later in the PPV.
The LWO and Judgment Day ended up on opposite brands in the WWE Draft. Judgment Day are now on Raw, while the LWO are on SmackDown.
Before Backlash, Vega, Rey Mysterio, Santos Escobar, Joaquin Wilde, and Cruz Del Toro all got matching LWO logo tattoos.
Zelina Vega Says WWE Backlash Changed Her Life Forever
