• The following article contains potential spoiler for NXT Roadblock event

A lot of people were concerned about Giulia’s status heading into the big title vs. title match at NXT Roadblock special.

It was reported that the bout was booked because the NXT Women’s Champion was dealing with an injury, making many question about the company’s decision to book her for the show at all.

PWInsider which originally reported the news of her health recently provided an update. Per sources of the site, the Japanese star is banged up from physicality associated with her style of wrestling.

The Women’s Champion is not dealing with a major injury but there are ‘bumps and bruises’ she needs time off to recover from. Though this is not expected to affect her standing for Roadblock and Giulia is 100% expected to work the match against the NXT Women’s North American Champion Stephanie Vaquer.

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It’s believed that the former NJPW star will be dropping the title to Vaquer at the show. Though how long she will be out of action afterward is unknown.

Giulia will not be the only star wrestling in a champion vs. champion match at the upcoming March 11 PPV from The Theater at Madison Square Garden.

On this week’s episode of NXT, multiple NXT champion vs. TNA champion matches were made official for the upcoming event. You can check out more about it here.

• Drew McIntyre Reveals Unsaid Comeback to CM Punk’s Vince McMahon Jab

WWE’s decision to schedule a double championship match between Giulia and Stephanie Vaquer at NXT Roadblock in two weeks appears to be driven by one of the competitors needing time off.

According to Bryan Alvarez on Wrestling Observer Live, one of the two wrestlers is dealing with an undisclosed injury and requires a break from in-ring competition.

“Without spoiling it, because if I spoil it I spoil the match, one of these women is banged up, needs time off. And so they’re doing the match and then she’s taking time off. So that’s what happened,” Alvarez stated.

Keep reading if you want to know which of them is injured. We’ll put the info below the embedded video.

While the specifics of the injury remain unclear, WWE’s decision to book the match now suggests an effort to adjust plans accordingly.

NXT Roadblock is set to take place in two weeks, with Giulia and Vaquer facing off in a high-stakes double title bout.

NXT Women’s Champion Giulia is dealing with a hand injury and will be taking time off next month.

The Hardy Boyz are set for Madison Square Garden return.

NXT is set to hold the Roadblock event from The Theatre at Madison Square Garden on March 11. The company made multiple big matches official for this show during tonight’s episode of the development brand.

After Moose successfully defended the X Division Championship against Lexis King, the current NXT Champion Oba Femi came out to confront the TNA star. Femi announced that the former NFL star would be facing him for the NXT title at the upcoming show.

Elsewhere in the show, Women’s Champion Giulia came out to confront the NXT Women’s North American Champion Stephanie Vaquer after the latter defeated Karmen Petrovic in a title match.

The Japanese star first congratulated Vaquer and then declared that she wanted to know who the best champion was. She then challenged the Mexican star to a title vs. title match at the upcoming show.

• Drew McIntyre Provides Update On His Knee Before Elimination Chamber

The Hardy Boyz Set For NXT Roadblock

Potentially the biggest match that was announced during the night was of The Hardy Boyz. The TNA tag team champions defeated Tavion Heights and Myles Borne in their WWE in-ring return at the February 25 show.

The NXT tag champs Axiom and Nathan Frazer came out looking for a fight with the legendary tag team after this. TNA Director of Authority Santino Marella then announced that The Hardys will defend their titles against the NXT team at the upcoming PPV.

With multiple crossover matches, the upcoming event is becoming a must-watch show. It’d be interesting to see if the Hardy Boyz stick around WWE programming after Roadblock.

• Carmella Breaks Silence After Unceremonious End To WWE Run

It appears that WWE’s black and gold brand will be present at this year’s Royal Rumble, as several NXT stars have reportedly been brought to Indianapolis for the event.

WWE has a history of having former stars, legends, and NXT talents as surprise entrants in the men’s and women’s Royal Rumble matches. This year seems to be no exception. According to PWInsider.com, the following names have been brought in for the weekend:

• Lash Legend
• Jaida Parker
• Roxanne Perez
• Stephanie Vaquer

At this time, it remains unclear which—if any—of these stars will officially compete in the Women’s Royal Rumble match.

Who Are the NXT Stars Brought in for Royal Rumble?

Lash Legend

Lash Legend is a former basketball player who turned into a WWE superstar. She joined WWE in 2021, initially hosting the Lashing Out with Lash Legend talk show on NXT. She later transitioned to in-ring competition and joined The Meta-Four alongside Noam Dar, Oro Mensah, and Jakara Jackson.

Jaida Parker

Jaida Parker signed with WWE in 2023 and quickly gained attention for her charisma and in-ring potential. She is still early in her career but has shown promise as a rising star in NXT.

Roxanne Perez

Roxanne Perez is a two-time NXT Women’s Champion and a former NXT Women’s Tag Team Champion alongside Cora Jade. Before signing with WWE, she wrestled as Rok-C in Ring of Honor and became the inaugural ROH Women’s World Champion.

Stephanie Vaquer

Stephanie Vaquer has competed in CMLL (Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre) and NJPW (New Japan Pro Wrestling). She signed with WWE last year and has since been involved in NXT’s main event scene.

With the Royal Rumble known for its surprises, fans will have to wait and see if any of these NXT stars appear in the highly anticipated match.

The January 28, edition of WWE NXT saw the silver brand continue on the road to its Vengeance Day event. During the show, three exciting Championship matches were announced.

On the Grayson Waller Effect, NXT Champion Oba Femi pointed out that neither Waller nor Austin Theory held gold during their respective runs in WWE NXT. After brawling with the pair and laying out Trick Williams, Femi was told by NXT GM Ava that he will defend the NXT Championship against Waller and Theory in a triple threat match at NXT Vengeance Day.

On the show, Fallon Henley retained the NXT Women’s North American Championship against Shotzi. After the match, she came face-to-face with Stephanie Vaquer. Commentary confirmed that Vaquer will challenge Henley for the title at NXT Vengeance Day.

The WWE NXT Women’s Championship will also be on the line at NXT Vengeeance Day. During this week’s show, Bayley and Giulia picking defeated the duo of Cora Jade and Roxanne Perez in the Role Model’s first NXT match in over four years. After the match, Bayley eyed Giulia and her NXT Women’s Championship. Later that night, Ava announced that both Bayley and Roxanne Perez will challenge Giulia for the NXT Women’s Championship at Vengeance Day.

NXT Vengeance Day will take place on February 15, at the Entertainment and Sports Arena in Washington D.C. With the show set to air the same day as AEW hosts its Grand Slam: Australia event, WWE is holding nothing back in their war for viewers next month. Stay tuned to SEScoops for the lateston NXT Vengeance Day, which has the potential to see several new champions be crowned.

Stephanie Vaquer has become the latest victim of a backstage attack in WWE after this week’s episode of NXT from the performance center.

This week’s episode of the Black & Silver show opened with the Women’s Iron Survivor Challenge winner Giulia addressing the fans. She was soon interrupted by the NXT Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez.

Cora Jade was the next to come out and she informed the Japanese star that Vaquer wouldn’t be coming down the ring to save her. The Titan Tron then showed Stephanie Vaquer laid out backstage.

The distraction allowed the duo of Perez and Jade to blindside the former Marigold star. Their attack continued until Kelani Jordan came out with a kendo stick to even the odds.

Stephanie Vaquer was later shown being attended by the medical personnel backstage, though she didn’t stay out of action for too long.

The opening segment set up the main event where Cora Jade and Roxanne Perez defeated Giulia and Kelani Jordan in a tag team match.

Vaquer’s music hit after the bout and instead of appearing on the ramp, she took out Jade from behind in the ring. Stephanie then attacked Jade with a bat and the segment ended with the Mexican star chasing her rival through the crowd.

• Shotzi Blackheart Returns On WWE NXT

On a night that marked Stephanie Vaquer’s WWE NXT in-ring debut, she also set the stage for a major tag team match later this month. During this week’s episode of NXT, Vaquer scored a quick victory over Wren Sinclair, finishing the match with her signature move.

However, following the bout, Roxanne Perez and Cora Jade launched a surprise attack on Vaquer, only for Giulia to rush out and make the save. The confrontation escalated when Giulia challenged Perez and Jade to a tag team match at Halloween Havoc, which will take place at the GIANT Center in Hershey, PA, on Sunday, October 27, 2024.

The challenge followed Jade’s recent interference in Giulia’s attempt to win the NXT Women’s Championship from Perez.

Vaquer’s NXT debut had been highly anticipated after she made waves earlier this year. She first garnered WWE’s attention when she dropped the NJPW Strong Women’s Title to Mercedes Moné at Forbidden Door in June.

Vaquer then participated in WWE house shows in Mexico this past July, solidifying her status as a top prospect in the company.

Later in the show, the match was made official:

Mercedes Moné has created iconic moments in every promotion she’s been part of, from her unforgettable NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn match with Bayley to making history in NJPW, and her notable arrival in AEW.

Moné has competed against some of the biggest names in professional wrestling across these promotions, but one match stands out above the rest—not only for the fans but for Moné herself. This was the 2015 NXT Women’s Championship match, where Bayley defeated (then known as) Sasha Banks in under 20 minutes, marking a turning point in both of their careers.

In her latest fan newsletter, the “CEO” revealed an interesting behind-the-scenes detail about this all-time classic: the two had barely any time to prepare. At the time, Mone was working full-time on the main roster and traveling for a panel with Triple H, leaving them with just five minutes to discuss the match.

Little Prep Before Their Classic

“We only had maybe five minutes to talk about our match in the ring. I wanted to tell her about this crazy spot. In truth, I didn’t even want to practice it or show her because I was afraid they’d say no—or worse, the boys would see it and take it away. Yes, that happens.

So, I just kind of told her what I wanted to do. We didn’t rehearse any of it. Yet, that match turned out to be the greatest women’s match ever.”

– Mercedes Mone on her match with Bayley from NXT Takeover: Brooklyn (2015)

Another “Great Match, No Prep”

Another match that Moné holds close to her heart was her bout against Stephanie Vaquer at this year’s AEW-NJPW Forbidden Door PPV. Moné recalls Vaquer flying in the day of the event and arriving at the venue just hours before showtime. With little time to prepare, the difficulties were compounded by their language barrier (Vaquer’s first langue is Spanish).

“That was so hard. I’m like, my God, we don’t get time to walk over our moves, we speak two different languages, and we’re both tired, jet lagged, and hungry, too. Yet, that also turned out to be such a great match. She was signed by the WWE days later. I’d like to think our match had a say in that!”

– Mercedes Moné on her mach with Stephanie Vaquer at AEWxNJPW: Forbidden Door 2024

Vaquer arrived in WWE NXT television this past week on The CW and aligned with Giulia. She’ll make her NXT in-ring debut next week against Wren Sinclair.

• Subscribe to the Moné Mag Newsletter

Stephanie Vaquer, real name Ana Stephanie Vaquer González, has officially made her arrival in WWE NXT. After leaving CMLL and NJPW, Vaquer chose WWE over interest from AEW. She made her NXT TV debut on Tuesday’s episode during a segment featuring NXT Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez and Cora Jade. This came just a week after Jade returned from injury to help Perez retain her title against Giulia.

During the segment, Giulia introduced Vaquer as an “old friend,” marking the new recruit’s first official appearance. The scene quickly escalated into a brawl between the heels and the babyfaces, with Vaquer standing tall alongside Perez and Jade to close out the segment.

Vaquer’s Path to WWE

Stephanie Vaquer first caught WWE’s attention after she dropped the NJPW Strong Women’s Title to Mercedes Moné at Forbidden Door in June. She later participated in a WWE house show loop in Mexico in July, which further solidified her standing as a top prospect.

Despite the hype surrounding her, Vaquer has not competed in a match since then.

Stephanie Vaquer signed with WWE in July of this year and following her debut match at a Mexico City live event, made clear she would be coming to NXT. Now, the former CMLL Women’s Champion has made good on that vow and has her sights set on becoming the WWE NXT Women’s Champion.

This week’s WWE NXT (the final before the gold brand’s move to The CW) saw Roxanne Perez and Giulia field questions ahead of next week’s title match. Speaking from San Fernando, Chile, and appearing via satellite, Vaquer interrupted proceedings, asking what the pair would do knowing they have her waiting for them on the other end of the title match.

While this marked Vaquer’s WWE NXT debut, it’s been teased for some time that Vaquer would be entering the women’s title picture. Mere days after Vaquer joined WWE, Roxanne Perez declared her superiority over both Vaquer and Giulia, making clear that the NXT Women’s Champion is keeping a close eye on her potential challenger.

Whether it’s Perez or Giulia who hold the gold this time next week, Stephanie Vaquer is waiting in the wings for a shot at the NXT Women’s Championship. Stay tuned to SEScoops for the latest on the CMLL alum and her role in NXT’s new era on The CW.

NXT Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez has asserted her dominance following an impactful main event victory at Great American Bash (Week One.) At the event, Perez defeated Thea Hail to keep her title reign alive. In a WWE NXT Digital Exclusive, The Prodigy reflected on her victory and named some notable women.

“I’ll give Thea her respect, because she almost had me there, but realistically, everybody needs to stop worrying about everybody else around the world. Not a Thea, not a Giulia, not a Stephanie [Vaquer].

“NXT is the best women’s division in the world, and this (NXT Women’s Championship) is on my shoulder, which means I am the best woman in the world.”

Vaquer joined WWE earlier this month, mere days after competing at AEWxNJPW: Forbidden Door. As for Giulia, it has been reported that she has signed with WWE. The Japanese sensation recently shared that she will wrap up her time competing in Japan on August 19, with many believing she will debut for WWE before, or shortly after that date.

This promo from Perez is not the first time that the reigning NXT Women’s Champion has brought up Vaquer and Giulia. Perez namedropped both women, exciting fans eager to see The Prodigy work against these two exceptionally talented athletes. Vaquer has said that she will be joining NXT in the near future, making a showdown with Perez even more likely.

WWE’s newest signee Stephanie Vaquer is open to joining forces with The Judgment Day.

The Judgment Day member Dominik Mysterio recently showed interest in recruiting Stephanie Vaquer to the faction. Now, the former CMLL wrestler has responded to the idea of potentially joining forces with The Judgment Day.

Taking to her X account, Vaquer reacted to Dominik’s comments on her and even asked the fans about the idea of joining the heel faction. It seems she is eager to be a part of the crew.

During a recent interview with ESTO, Dominik Mysterio shared his thoughts on Stephanie Vaquer possibly working with The Judgment Day and said that he would be eager to have her on the team. He said:

“It is something very excellent for us to have another Latina in WWE. Especially having her is something that is going to catch the women’s division on fire. She’s going to bring something different to this side of the United States, I’m excited to see her. If she wants she can have something with Judgment Day; There are two Irish, two Puerto Ricans and we hire someone else who comes from Mexico.”

Stephanie Vaquer in WWE

Vaquer recently signed with WWE following her departure from CMLL. NXT Head Shawn Michaels announced her signing with the company and revealed that she would be a part of NXT. Vaquer made her triumphant debut during an NXT live event in Mexico City on July 13. She emerged victorious over one-half of the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Isla Dawn.

• Stephanie Vaquer: What You Need To Know About The New WWE Signee

Stephanie Vaquer’s debut match in WWE proved to be a successful one for the company’s latest signing at a live event in Mexico City.

Before the show even started, WWE hyped Vaquer’s appearance at the show by sharing a video of her arrival at the arena.

At the July 13, event, Vaquer defeated current WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion Ilja Dawn. After the match, Vaquer said that it was a dream come true to be part of WWE.

Vaquer certainly proved to be a hit with the crowd in Mexico City and fans won’t have to wait long before they see her again. WWE’s newest signing is also expected to be at tonight’s WWE live event in Monterrey.

Stephanie Vaquer Joining WWE NXT

Vaquer officially joined WWE this past Wednesday after it was announced she had left CMLL. On Twitter, SVP of Talent Development and Head of NXT Shawn Michaels welcomed Vaquer to the family, which some have taken as a sign she’ll start in WWE on the gold brand.

In a post-match interview at the Mexico City live event, Vaquer told the cameras “NXT, see you soon” seemingly confirming the notion that she’ll be joining the gold brand.

Vaquer’s Journey To WWE

WWE and AEW had been interested in Vaquer following her show-stealing performance at last month’s AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door 2024 pay-per-view. Though she lost to Mercedes Mone at the event, Vaquer was praised for how she won the crowd over, despite them being more familiar with Mone and her work in and out of WWE.

While Vaquer only signed with WWE in recent days, this isn’t her first time being associated with the company. In 2018, Vaquer had a tryout for the promotion but was not signed.

Stephanie Vaquer: ‘2018 WWE Tryout Taught Me What I Needed To Do’

WWE is not wasting any time incorporating Stephanie Vaquer into their universe.

All this week, Vaquer left CMLL and was swiftly welcomed by Shawn Michaels into the WWE fold on social media. Now to close out the work week, Vaquer will be put to work in the ring. The company announced that their newest signee will represent the brand south of the border on Saturday and Sunday.

“See Stephanie Vaquer LIVE at #WWEMonterrey and #WWEMexicoCity this weekend!”

Vaquer is getting thrown right into the WWE deep end as also advertised for those live events is Rey Mysterio, Damian Priest, Jey Uso, Drew McIntyre and Cody Rhodes.

It’s not very often that WWE completely puts their chips behind a new signee right off the bat, but names like Vaquer and Jade Cargill have been their few exceptions and for good reasons.

Both Cargill and Vacquer have their AEW ties, but in different fashions. Cargill was an established talent on their television while Vacquer is fresh off a very memorable match against Mercedes Mone at AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door.

Speaking in a recent interview Vaquer mentioned how her previous experience with WWE in 2018 mentioned how it helped her out “a lot and it was an experience that I will take with me forever.”

RELATED: Stephanie Vaquer: What You Need To Know About The New WWE Signee

Stephanie Vaquer became one of the most talked-about free agents in professional wrestling following her release from CMLL and NJPW, and she has now seemingly signed with WWE.

Here is everything you need to know about the latest WWE signee.

Read More – Stephanie Vaquer Gone From CMLL & NJPW Amid WWE/AEW Interest

Who is Stephanie Vaquer? Early Life and Career Beginnings

Born on March 29, 1993, in San Antonio, Valparaiso Region, Chile, Stephanie Vaquer, whose real name is Stephanie Beatriz Vaquer, began her wrestling training at a young age.

She trained under prominent wrestling figures such as Paul Slandering, Gran Apache, Ricky Marvin, and Villano IV, making her professional debut in February 2009.

Rise in Lucha Libre

Vaquer’s talent quickly shone through in the world of Lucha Libre. She competed in various promotions, including Alianza Universal De Lucha Libre (AULL) where she won the AULL Women’s Championship.

Her performances led her to be signed by Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL), where she won multiple championships, including the CMLL World Women’s Championship and the CMLL World Women’s Tag Team Championship.

Major Achievements and Wrestling Style

Championships and Accomplishments

Stephanie Vaquer has held numerous titles throughout her already impressive career. In addition to her CMLL accolades, she captured the NJPW STRONG Women’s Championship, which she held before losing it to Mercedes Mone at the AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door 2024 PPV event.

Stephanie Vaquer Finisher

Vaquer’s signature and finishing moves include the Package Backbreaker, Cross Armbreaker, and the Dragon Screw Legwhip, which have earned her respect and admiration from fans and peers alike.

Recent Highlights

AEW and NJPW STRONG Appearances

As noted, Stephanie Vaquer made headlines at AEW’s Forbidden Door 2024 event, where she faced Mercedes Moné in a champion vs. champion match.

Although Vaquer dominated much of the match, Moné emerged victorious, securing the NJPW STRONG Women’s Championship.

This match was reportedly a major reason why WWE decided to show interest in signing her, as she arguably had one of the best matches of the night against a former WWE Superstar in Mone/Sasha Banks.

Stephanie Vaquer Boyfriend: A tumultuous situation

Vaquer’s personal life has seen its share of challenges, including a highly publicized domestic violence incident involving her former partner, Cuatrero.

Will Stephanie Vaquer go to WWE?

The big question after Vaquer’s release from CMLL is where she will be heading next. According to the latest reliable reports, she is in fact headed to WWE.

Stephanie Vaquer’s first attempt to make it in WWE was not successful, but it did teach her a lot about what she needed to do to succeed in the ring.

This week, it was reported that Vaquer would be leaving CMLL and NJPW in order to join WWE. On Twitter, WWE’s SVP of Talent Development Shawn Michaels welcomed Vaquer into the WWE ‘family’ seemingly confirming her arrival and suggesting she will start in NXT (where Michaels also leads.)

More On Stephanie Vaquer Joining WWE On Multi-Yeal Deal

Stephanie Vaquer On Her WWE Tryout

While Vaquer is expected to begin competing for WWE in the coming months, she did have a tryout for the company back in 2018. Speaking to Denise Salcedo, Vaquer reflected on her tryout and not feeling ready for a role in WWE at the time.

“It was a very difficult test. I feel that I didn’t have the experience to do a test with them yet. I had very little time fighting, I was not an athlete. Maybe I did not have the physical condition to perform at 100% but that experience taught me a lot… I started to train physically, I started to do conditioning and become an athlete. I didn’t place in the event, but it really was, I think it was a plus to say ‘Ok, I have to change all this because this is what I have to do from now on.’ It helped me a lot and it was an experience that I will take with me forever.”

While Vaquer did not secure a deal with WWE, the Chilean wrestler appreciates the extra effort WWE made for her so that she could see her family.

“I remember WWE asking me a lot. I hadn’t seen my family for a long time. I was already living in Mexico and they gave me two more days so I could go see my family before the tryout. I will always thank them for that.”

The lessons Vaquer learned in 2018 clearly paid off for her as she has gone on to hold titles in CMLL, New Japan Pro Wrestling, and elsewhere. Now, the Chilean star is returning to WWE and is ready to achieve what she felt she couldn’t six years ago.

Stephanie Vaquer: What You Need To Know About WWE’s Signing

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

After a recent report suggested that Stephanie Vaquer is set to leave CMLL with interest from WWE and AEW, a new report claims the female wrestler actually has significant time left on her current CMLL deal.

According to Luchablog, the length of the current CMLL World Women’s Champion’s contract is “not expected to matter much,” as the promotion has granted permission to other wrestlers in the past if they receive a big offer from an American promotion.

The blog also noted that Vaquer has a “lot of loyalty” towards CMLL, but the promotion won’t be able to match what AEW and WWE could offer.

The interest from WWE and AEW stems from Vaquer’s performance at the AEWxNJPW: Forbidden Door event. While she lost the NJPW Strong Women’s title to Mercedes Mone, her performance has sparked significant interest from these companies.

Vaquer has been part of CMLL since 2019, has held the CMLL World Women’s Tag Team Championship, and is currently in her first reign as CMLL World Women’s Champion.

Record reported that WWE and AEW executives approached Stephanie Vaquer after her performance at Forbidden Door. Vaquer is expected to decide which company to join in the coming days. The deal is anticipated to be a multi-year agreement.

As of now, Vaquer is set to defend her CMLL World Women’s Championship against Lluvia at FantasticaMania USA 2024 on Saturday, July 31.

Stephanie Vaquer may have come up short at AEWxNJPW: Forbidden Door, but the future looks bright for the now-former NJPW Strong Women’s Champion.

At the June 30, event, Vaquer lost the gold to Mercedes Mone who put her AEW TBS Championship on the line in the match. This title win was a long time coming for Mone, as the NJPW Strong Women’s Championship had been created in 2023 with the CEO in mind. Vaquer had held the title since March after upsetting Giulia, who is expected to join WWE NXT very soon.

Interest In Stephanie Vaquer

Despite the loss, Vaquer’s performance at Forbidden Door has sparked a ton of interest in the Chilean wrestler. Mexican news outlet Record notes that Vaquer is set to leave CMLL, where she has competed since 2019. Vaquer is a former CMLL World Women’s Tag Team Champion and is currently in her first reign as CMLL World Women’s Champion.

After Forbidden Door WWE and AEW executives approached Stephanie Vaquer to let her know they were interested in hiring her. Record says that Vaquer will make a decision “in the next few days” as to which company she plans on joining on a multi-year deal.

It’s hardly a surprise that Vaquer’s efforts have caught the attention of both AEW and WWE. Following Forbidden Door, PW Insider noted that there had been praise backstage for the match, with special praise on Vaquer. Despite being less known to the New York City crowd than Mone, Vaquer was able to win over the fans at Forbidden Door in a testament to her skills.

What’s to Come?

Should Vaquer choose AEW, odds are a rematch with Mone won’t be in her immediate future, despite making it clear she wants said match after Forbidden Door. The AEW/NJPW crossover event also saw Britt Baker make her long-awaited return to TV and confronted Mone. On the most recent Dynamite, the two continued to tease a feud that’ll ultimately see Baker challenge for the gold.

Mercedes Mone is still the CEO of the TBS Championship, but she may have to deal with Britt Baker.

Mone retained her TBS Title and became the NJPW Strong Women’s Champion against Stephanie Vaquer. However, it was the challenger who stole the show with her performance. Vaquer was trending worldwide although Mone picked up the W in a hard-fought match and the Long Island crowd was in store for a treat as Britt Baker walked out on the entryway to confront Mone.

Baker has been gone from AEW for months and it was greatly unknown regarding her status with the company. AEW President Tony Khan did give an optimistic update this week during the media call, expressing excitement for her forthcoming return.

RELATED: AEW Drama: Britt Baker Addresses Rumors of Problems with Mercedes Mone

“It’s going to feel amazing when we’ve got great stars — Britt Baker is a great example — it will be great to have the Doctor back in AEW,” Khan stated. “Certainly, for me, I know that Dr. Britt Baker and fans all over the world will be excited to see her return. I’m glad that she’s going to be cleared to return very soon.”

Britt Baker feuding with Mercedes Mone has been a high-profile beef that AEW fans have been clamouring for and by all indications we’re about to get that. Since making her debut, Mone has primarily feuded with Willow Nightingale who competed earlier on the Forbidden Door card in tag action.

Mone vs. Vaquer wasn’t the only women’s match on the card as Toni Storm took on Mina Shirakawa for the AEW Women’s Championship. Storm retained her title in that one as she and Shirakawa “kissed it out” following the fight.

RELATED: AEW’s Britt Baker Hits Back At “Dumb” False Claims Of Issues with Mercedes Mone

When AEW signed Mercedes Mone to a deal, she had a big target on her. Now we know who was responsible for her backstage attack a few weeks ago, as Skye Blue stepped forward.

Mercedes Mone secured the TBS Championship at AEW Double or Nothing from Willow Nightingale. This week on Dynamite, she celebrated her victory with a big celebration and an unexpected revelation.

Skye Blue interrupted Mone’s celebration by attacking her. She revealed herself as the former Sasha Banks’ attacker from a few weeks ago on Dynamite.

Skye Blue cut the NEW #TBS Champion Mercedes Moné’s celebration short earlier tonight and faces her for the title RIGHT NOW!

Watch #AEWDynamite LIVE on TBS!@SkyeByee | @MercedesVarnado pic.twitter.com/2qpp5ucUPS

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) May 30, 2024

Backstory and Match

A few weeks back, Mercedes Mone was attacked backstage during an interview. The mystery was solved when Blue admitted to being the woman behind the attack, and she got a payoff.

A TBS Title match was set for later that night. Mercedes defeated Sky Blue to retain her title. With another mystery solved in All Elite Wrestling, Mone was confronted by NJPW Stong Women’s Champion Stephanie Vaquer. The fact that both Mone and Vaquer were raising their titles at the end of the segment could give us a Forbidden Door preview.

Is #NJPW Strong Women's Champion Stephanie Vaquer calling her shot against #TBS Champion Mercedes Moné?!

Watch #AEWDynamite LIVE on TBS!@Steph_Vaquer | @MercedesVarnado pic.twitter.com/XIzmLS2s14

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) May 30, 2024

The NJPW Strong Women’s Championship reign of Giulia has come to an end amid speculation that the former champion could soon be heading to WWE. 

At the second day of the STARDOM Cinderella Tournament event, Stephanie Vaquer defeated Gulia to win the gold. The finish of the match saw Vaquer catch Giulia with a DDT and snag the win, and the title, with a clutch pin. 

【📺3.10後楽園 PPV生配信中‼】

👑STRONG女子選手権試合

ステファニー・バッケルが丸め込みでジュリアから勝利！

ステファニー・バッケルがSTRONG女子王者に！

🔻PPV購入はこちらhttps://t.co/fpu6kUJc1w

🔻PPV for fans from overseas(Japanese commentary)https://t.co/Dg49RZFt9K#STARDOM pic.twitter.com/McN0czM8Te

— スターダム✪STARDOM (@wwr_stardom) March 10, 2024

This win was a long time coming for Vaquer, who competed in the tournament to crown the first NJPW Strong Women’s Champion in 2023. In that tournament, Vaquer, representing CMLL, would lose to Mercedes Mone in the semi-finals. 

What’s Next for Giulia? 

The end of Giulia’s record-breaking 249-day reign comes at an interesting time for the young wrestler. Giulia has made clear to NJPW that she will be leaving the promotion this month when her contract expires. It is believed that she will join WWE when the time is right. WWE is said to have a massive interest in adding Giulia to its women’s division. She was expected to attend a training session at WWE’s Performance Center in late 2023 but that didn’t ultimately happen. 

Stephanie Vaquer: The Belt Collector

This isn’t the only title that Vaquer currently holds. In CMLL, she is the promotion’s reigning World Women’s Champion and has held the title since September of last year. She is also one-half of the CMLL World Women’s Tag Team Champion alongside Zeuxis. The pair are the inaugural champions and have also held the gold since September of last year.