Rita Reis Debuts New Name on WWE NXT TV, New Backstage Photos

WWE NXT Superstar Rita Reis made her TV singles in-ring debut on this week’s show, the final episode of 2020.

Reis, using the name Valentina Feroz, lost a fairly quick match to Mercedes Martinez, who was making her in-ring return to NXT action.

It looks like “Valentina Feroz” is the new permanent NXT ring name for Reis. Her Twitter handle is still @RitaReisWWE, but she has changed her billing to the Feroz name. She also released a few photos from a backstage photo shoot, which you can see below.

The message on her tweet translates to, “I will not stop, the road is too long. I will continue, even in the midst of struggles. I’m not alone [folded hands emoji] [heart emoji] #nxt”

After impressing WWE officials during a December 2018 tryout in Santiago, Chile, the now-25 year old Reis was signed in the same August 2019 WWE Performance Center class that included Austin Theory, Santana Garrett, Ashante “Thee” Adonis, Briana Brandy, Catalina Garcia, and others. The Brazilian talent became a Jiu-Jitsu world champion at a young age, and has won multiple medals in both Jiu-Jitsu and judo. She’s won titles in her native Brazil, but also throughout Europe. She took home a gold medal in the 2017 Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship.

Feroz made her in-ring debut back in December 2019 and worked less than a dozen non-televised live event matches since then. Her TV debut came on September 23 of this year, in the #1 Contender’s Battle Royal that was won by Candice LeRae. This week’s match with Martinez was her first singles match on TV.

Stay tuned for more on Feroz. You can see the new photos from her shoot below, along with video from the loss to Martinez:

Eu não vou parar, a estrada é muito longa
Vou continuar, mesmo em meio às lutas
Eu não estou só 🙏🏼💙 #nxt pic.twitter.com/y2CUeJX3RI

— Valentina Feroz (@RitaReisWWE) December 31, 2020