Chilean wrestling sensation Stephanie Vaquer has signed with WWE, as first reported by Record Mexico. Other outlets, including PWInsider, corroborated the report before WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels gave the official confirmation.
Shawn Michaels Welcomes Stephanie Vaquer to WWE
Michaels, WWE’s SVP of Talent Development, officially welcomed Vaquer to the family.
Wanted by WWE and AEW
Stephanie Vaquer and Mercedes Mone delivered a show-stealing performance at last month’s AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door 2024 pay-per-view. Mone was victorious, but it was Vaquer who received most of the buzz coming out of the show. Despite holding championships in Mexico, including the (since-vacated) CMLL World Women’s Championship, she received strong interest from both AEW and WWE.
Vaquer had been a part of CMLL since 2019 and was positioned as one of the top women in the company. She made her NJPW debut in 2023 as part of the tournament to crown the inaugural NJPW Strong Women’s World Champion (won by Willow Nightingale.)
While she came up short in that tournament, Vaquer would win the gold in early 2024 from Giulia, another top female name fans can expect to see in WWE very soon.
Leaving CMLL & New Japan
On Wednesday, Lucha Libre CMLL and New Japan Pro Wrestling issued a joint CMLL-NJPW Special Announcement stating that Vaquer has informed them she will not participate in her next scheduled match due to “personal reasons.” As a result, she’s no longer associated with either promotion and been stripped of the CMLL World Women’s Championship.
“We want to inform you that Stephanie Vaquer has abruptly informed us that she will not participate, for personal reasons, in her next fight at FantasticaMania USA. As of today, he also no longer belongs to the CMLL and NJPW talent.”
A new CMLL World Women’s Champion will be crowned at FantasticaMania USA in an inter-promotional trios match. Lluvia, representing CMLL, will face Viva Van of NJPW and AEW’s Willow Nightingale for the gold. CMLL apologized to fans for the abrupt departure.
Vaquer’s Farewell
Though these moves may come as something of a surprise, suspicions grew that Vaquer was parting ways with CMLL after what would become her final match for the promotion. After a recent match, Vaquer appeared emotional and embraced her opponent Tessa Blanchard
