Zelina Vega burst onto the WWE scene with her NXT debut in 2017. While she didn’t do much at the beginning of her career apart from managing and enhancing other talents, she was eventually called up to the main roster a year later. Zelina used to manage Andrade El Idolo (fka Andrade Cien Almas) and thrived in the role as well. In 2020, she was reportedly released from the company for breaching her contract.
Nonetheless, Zelina Vega made her return in 2021, but this time as a singles competitor in WWE’s women’s division. She also received a major push when she was crowned the first-ever “Queen of the Ring” in 2021. However, her crowning moment led nowhere as she eventually slipped down on the card. Currently, she is the only female member of the newly formed LWO faction.
At the Backlash PLE this year, Zelina finally got the biggest opportunity of her life. She was set to challenge Rhea Ripley for the SmackDown women’s title. The moment was also big for Vega considering she was competing in her native country of Puerto Rico in front of her family and friends. Prior to the biggest match of her career, Zelina made her entrance wearing the colors of the Puerto Rican flag as her attire.
Also, when her name was announced, Zelina got extremely emotional and broke down in tears. While Vega was actually born in Queens, New York, her family and ancestry belong to Puerto Rico. She also received incredible reactions from the crowd in San Juan.
Zelina Vega is dedicating this match to her father. What a moment. #WWEBacklash pic.twitter.com/vitxy9aQ3m
— Wrestling News (@WrestlingNewsCo) May 7, 2023
While Zelina did not succeed in capturing the title from The Eradicator at Backlash 2023, it was a moment she will definitely cherish for the rest of her life, regardless of the result of the match.
Zelina Vega Next Move After WWE Backlash 2023
After getting a championship opportunity at Backlash, Zelina Vega proved herself to be a potential main eventer in the future. However, prior to the match, Rhea Ripley was unlikely to lose her title right after winning it at WrestleMania 39, as it’s her time to shine currently. The Eradicator also dominated Vega during the entire match and ended up retaining her title.
Standing ovation for Zelina Vega after her match. #WWE #WWEBacklash pic.twitter.com/kiJFlclqDw
— NoDQ.com: WWE and AEW news (@nodqdotcom) May 7, 2023
Furthermore, Zelina did not become the new champion. But it was definitely a star-making moment for her, considering the reaction from the Puerto Rican crowd. Fans could also expect great things from her heading forward. Hence, it remains to be seen whether WWE capitalizes on Vega’s momentum and inserts her into the title picture more often in the future.
