Zelina Vega is the winner of the first-ever Queen’s Crown tournament in WWE. She recently spoke with Sports Illustrated about what the win means to her and what Vince McMahon said to her after the tournament final.
“Vince walked up to me after the match in the back and said, ‘You walked in here queen, and now it’s official,’ ” Vega said. “I almost lost it.”
Vega won the match with a Code Red, which she says was a tribute to her cousin, Amazing Red.
“It was me representing my family,” Vega said of using the move. “That’s my cousin’s move. Amazing Red deserves so much credit for what he’s done, so that was for him. That was for my dad, too. And that was for me, to solidify my place and show that I belong here.”
“Queen Zelina, it feels so incredible to say that,” Vega continued. “I’m bringing it to Spanish, too—La Reina, that’s me. It feels absolutely right to say that. This is me, and it is mine.”
“It’s been a hell of a journey, and I’m looking forward to continuing my story as Queen Zelina. Every time I step into the ring, I feel like I have to prove myself. I take this opportunity in WWE very seriously. This is my time, and it starts now.”
Zelina Vega In WWE
It has certainly been an up-and-down ride for Zelina Vega in WWE. She began her career in 2010 and had a run with TNA from 2011-13 (under the name Rosita). After multiple appearances with WWE in the coming years, she eventually signed a contract with the promotion and reported to the WWE Performance Center in 2017. She was paired with Andrade as a manager and would be called up to the main roster in 2018.
In 2020, Vega was released from the promotion under controversial circumstances. She was vocally opposed to WWE’s ban on talent earning revenue from 3rd parties such as Twitch. Vega would return to the promotion in July of 2021 after 8 months away, however. She would then lose her first 8 matches back with the promotion. Vega has since won 4 straight, however. She defeated Liv Morgan on the 9/24 Smackdown before winning 3 straight in the Queen’s Crown tournament against Toni Storm, Carmella, and Doudrop.
