Posted in: Games, Sports, streaming, Street Fighter, Street Fighter 6, TV, Video Game Publishers, WWE | Tagged: Dakota Kai, Street Fighter VI, thea trinidad, wwe, Zelina Vega, Zelvx and Charlie Girl

WWE Superstar Zelina Vega on LWO, Street Fighter, Jade Cargill & More

WWE superstar Zelina Vega spoke with us about her LWO run, podcasting with Dakota Kai, Street Fighter VI, Jade Cargill, and much more.

WWE is full of amazing personal stories, and Zelina Vega's story hasn't even begun to peak as fans in Puerto Rico came out in overwhelming support for one of their own at Backlash 2023, facing overwhelming odds against SmackDown Women's Champion, now Women's World Champion Rhea Ripley at the premium live event. While Vega came up short in the match, it became a WrestleMania-like reaction and moment for the superstar. Thea Trinidad started her career at the age of 17, training under Javi-Air and T.J. Perkins, and made her debut under the name Divina Fly for National Wrestling Superstars in 2010. As she made her rounds in the indie scene, she was discovered by ECW and WWE legend Tommy Dreamer, who found a new permanent home at Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, now Impact Wrestling, recruiting her in 2011 before leaving in 2013. While touring the indie scene, she made sporadic appearances for WWE before officially signing a long-term contract in 2017, rebranding herself as Zelina Vega. Her WWE ring name was inspired in part by Capcom's Street Fighter franchise.

Following a brief hiatus from WWE in 2020, she made her return to the company in 2021, becoming a member of Legado Del Fantasma before the group got rebranded to the latest incarnation of Latino World Order (LWO) led by Rey Mysterio, who co-created the faction with the late Eddie Guerrero during their days at World Championship Wrestling (WCW). At Friday Night SmackDown, Vega remains in the women's world title picture as the LWO gained serious momentum with Mysterio's run as U.S. Champion. She spoke to Bleeding Cool about the group's latest development with Carlito's [Colon] official return at WWE Fastlane (not counting his cameo at Backlash), if we should expect any WCW LWO alum to appear in the WWE incarnation, her podcast Zelvx and Charlie Girl with Damage Control's Dakota Kai, Hollywood prospects, Street Fighter VI, WWE's latest free agent in Jade Cargill, and more.

How Zelina Vega Evolved to Be a Modern Superstar in WWE & Beyond

Bleeding Cool: How are things going with you in WWE with the LWO?

Vega: With Carlito at 'Fastlane' and officially being a part of the LWO is cool because now it gives us a fresh feel, and it gives the fans more to look forward to. I don't know what I'm walking into on Friday [Night SmackDown], which excites me and takes us to the next level, and getting to chase what the LWO's mission is. Let's take advantage of these opportunities that are not easily given and make sure that we're at the forefront. This is not only for Latinos, and more than anything, it's cool to have such an amazing group of people led by such a legend as Rey Mysterio.

You had special guests like Savio Vega & Bad Bunny come back. I know Rey was that bridge to bring the LWO back, has there been any talk about maybe some of the past WCW talent from its original incarnation who make a cameo down the line?

That's all at Rey's discretion. If he feels that's something that we need to do and the situation permits, then I don't see why not.

You've started your 'Zelvx and Charlie Girl' podcast with Dakota Kai, which I presume has been helpful as she recovers from her injuries on the back burner before returning to Damage Control in full capacity. Can you tell me about how the podcast got started and what you both typically talk about?

[Dakota] and I have been friends for a long time, so it was cool to say, "You know what? We're talking about this stuff anyway. I'm sure there are people out there who either agree or disagree with our viewpoints on games, anime, and stuff. Why don't we start a podcast with me to see where we can go? It evolved from there, luckily, we have our friend Josiah [Williams], who's helping us out. He did some work for NXT previously, but to have him on our side and make sure everything technically works and edited the right way. It's getting to combine our love for games, anime, and related things because we're '90s kids. We get to combine that love too of like, "What do you prefer? One of them had to go: Nickelodeon or Cartoon Network? Which one would you pick? What are some Pokémon cool conspiracy theories? What would you do in the zombie apocalypse out of Resident Evil?" That kind of fun stuff, and then we have guests on the show as well. There's a lot to look forward to.

With the way you brought in the business and having so much creative freedom to do whenever, wherever to sell yourself, unlike what the pro-wrestlers had you followed to growing up. Does it feel like you must put in that much more to create your spotlight? Was it something that just kind of came naturally to you?

No matter what. Whatever I do, I want it to be authentic and genuine to me. Anything that I do is always going to be considered as representing me as Zelina, but also as Thea, especially as a babyface, people live both of those lives. It does come easy to me, but it's also challenging to tune and make sense of that character in real-time.

You got to face off against Rhea Ripley in Puerto Rico for Backlash 2023 for the SmackDown Women's Championship. Can you tell me about the experience and the atmosphere? I imagine you probably answered this countless times.

That was the best crowd I had ever been in front of. There was nothing like that outside my wedding day, that was the best day of my life. It's something that I'll never forget. It's something I will always feel super grateful to Puerto Rico for because it reignited something in me that sometimes can dim a little bit when you're doing the day-to-day grind. That day was like a kick of inspiration. It was something that completely rejuvenated me as a person and as a character. It was incredible.

How did you get involved with Street Fighter VI?

My friend [Capcom's] Andrew Fonzo was the one to get me involved in it; he asked me if I wanted to be a part of it. Everybody at Capcom had seen me doing commentary at the 'Royal Rumble' and heard the commentary on 'Raw,' so they felt like I was a perfect fit for what they were looking for in the game. To add that that live fighting tournament style with the commentary, so that's how that came about. From the process of recording my voice and meeting everybody getting to meet everybody behind the scenes, it was crazy. I feel so close to those guys; this is something that I'm going to be forever connected with them. It's cool to feel like I got to accomplish a childhood dream, but also live in a world of 'Street Fighter' and dress as "Juri" in the moment of the 'Royal Rumble.' Also, to be that in the game talking about if somebody's got to turn into a hashtag or not.

I was wondering about the long-term prospects that you want as far as wrestling versus transitioning to Hollywood. Do you see something like taking a similar path that Dwayne Johnson or John Cena as far as career and taking that step beyond the ring?

Right now, I feel I have a clear path. My size and my tunnel vision are set on winning singles gold, especially the WWE Women's Championship. That's where my brain is right now, but I mean, Dwayne has always been his inspiration for me in wrestling, but also in life. He was the one that got me into 'Fighting with My Family' (2019) and getting my acting career kickstarted in that way. Yes, I would like to head into acting and some voice acting, too, because I love anime so much to get into.

I want to talk about the 'Dark Arts Gym' announced this year. How's that coming along? Will this be a potential feeder system to NXT or for future wrestling superstars in general?

We didn't think about having it be a feeder system to NXT or anywhere else. This is just something that initially, my husband [Tom Büdgen] and I wanted to have a ring for us to train and get better ourselves. We realized that we could also open to students in class. Teaching makes you a better performer, and as a wrestler, you are aware of certain things that you wouldn't be had you not been teaching. It's something that we want to take and see where it goes and see where it evolves. Right now, it's the Dark Arts Gym, and it's under us, and we get to show people what we've learned over the years and grow that way.

What do you feel Jade Cargill will bring to the women's division?

I've known Jade for a couple of years now, and I always thought that she was a star. She and I are already talking about what we want to do together, so I'm excited to have her a part of live TV for sure.

Friday Night SmackDown airs weekly on Fox. ZELVX and CHARLIE GIRL stream Fridays. Street Fighter VI is available for PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S & Windows.

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