Stephanie Vaquer recently appeared as a guest on ESPN’s “Ahora o Nunca” for an in-depth interview covering all things pro wrestling.
During the discussion, the current WWE Women’s World Champion reflected on having arguably the match of the night against IYO SKY at WrestlePalooza, her viral post-match moment with her father, the emotional reaction she had behind-the-scenes afterwards and her relationship with top WWE executives.
Featured below are some of the highlights from the interview where she touches on these topics with her thoughts.
On having arguably the match of the night at the historic WWE WrestlePalooza on ESPN debut event against IYO SKY to become WWE Women’s World Champion: “I’m proud because it wasn’t just a match for the most important championship, it was against one of the best in the world, Iyo Sky, someone I’ve admired for many years. So, the fact that I could compete for this title with her proved in the ring why we are both among the best in the world right now.”
On how special the viral post-match moment with her father was to her: “It was very special because my dad is my No. 1 fan. He’s the one who has supported me from the beginning and has always been with me, the one who saw me suffer, the one who listened to me when I was 15 and told him, ‘Dad, I want to be a professional wrestler.’ He saw me leave for another country at 19, he saw me struggle day after day, he saw me fail so many times. I [told] myself, I’m not just only going to win and celebrate, I’m going to bring the belt to my dad and tell him, ‘I did it, I did it.’ So having my dad there, seeing me triumph after so many years of sacrifice, was a special emotion for me, especially because it was also his birthday.”
On the origins of her “La Primera” nickname and what she thinks of it: “It was born from a journalist in Mexico who wanted to introduce me in an interview and said, ‘The first South American in Japan, the first South American in Mexico, the first South American …’ and he said, ‘in short, The First.’ I like it because far from being a character, it’s a reality. I mean, it’s something that has made its mark on history. I’ve had the good fortune, perhaps the great opportunity, to be the first South American in many ways within wrestling, and that has identified me as a pioneer.”
On her relationship with WWE executives: “My relationship with Stephanie [McMahon], with all of them, has been incredible. I’ve had their support, which has pushed me to work even harder. They’re always attentive, not only with me but with everyone — how we feel, how we’re doing, our work environment, our way of working.”
On her emotional post-match moment at Gorilla position after coming through the curtain following her WWE Women’s World Championship victory at WrestlePalooza: “It was very emotional to reach gorilla after the match and have everyone applaud and congratulate me, not just the producers and coaches, but the people I work with every day. Someone as important as Triple H, who for me is not only my boss but someone I’ve admired for a long time, not only as a wrestler but also as a businessman now in charge of the WWE family.”
