“Not Good Time in My Life”: WWE Refused to Sign Stephanie Vaquer When She Was Not a Huge Star

Stephanie Vaquer recalled the time when WWE did not sign her back in 2018 and the changes that came in her life after that setback.

Credit:- WWE

Stephanie Vaquer has emerged as a prominent name in the world of professional wrestling.

But it wasn’t the case until recently, when she had a real impact on the WWE.

Vaquer talked about her first WWE tryout in 2018, where she could not secure a deal with the company during an interview with Chris Van Vliet.

Talking about the time when she had a real down point in her life, Vaquer remarked:

So that moment I really knew and I am starting pro wrestling.

No feel good.

No good time in my life, personal life and I am not ready, I am not ready, no good condition and I know I am not ready in that moment.

The former women’s NXT Champion stated that, despite knowing that she wouldn’t be successful that time, she pursued that tryout because WWE was her dream, and she thought at that moment that she was brave enough to do it.

Stephanie Vaquer’s Personal Challenges in 2018: Why She Could Not Secure a Deal With the WWE?

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WWE star Stephanie Vaquer had several challenges back when she was an amateur wrestler.

She moved out of Chile to Mexico at the young age of 16.

Apart from that, she had a hard time making ends meet away from her family at such a young age.

During an interview on ‘No-Contest Wrestling’ with O’Shea Jackson Jr and TJ Jefferson, Vaquer revealed the hardships she had to face.

The former Women’s NXT Champion stated that wrestling is “so hard” and that she needed a “long time for really learn.”

She also mentioned a period where she did not have enough money to eat properly, but she made the sacrifice for her passion.

Apart from that, staying away from her family also took a toll on her mental state.

Stephanie Vaquer making an entrance with Rhea Ripley and Lyra Valkyria.

(Image Credit: WWE)

The former NXT Women’s Champion comes from a family of wrestling enthusiasts who had big dreams but couldn’t afford her daughter’s desire to become a professional wrestler one day.

During the same interview with Chris Van Vliet, while talking about her admiration for Rey Mysterio, Vaquer shared:

When I was, I think 12, WWE in Chile for the first time.

I talked with my sister and I say, ‘I really want to go.’ We don’t have money, so I talk with my parents.

‘No, we don’t have money.’ I start to sell hot dogs in my neighborhood, and when I take all the money and save the money for that ticket, sold out.

I cry for, like, three days.

I cry a lot and say, ‘No, I really want to go and see Rey Mysterio.

I’m a big fan.

Furthermore, she opined that she got the opportunity to buy the ticket and go see his idol on a separate occasion that inspired her to one day pursue a career in the WWE.

Stephanie Vaquer Has Never Looked Back Ever Since She Failed in the 2018 WWE Tryout

Stephanie Vaquer as a prolific performer inside the ring.

(Image Credit: WWE)

Ever since that tryout concluded and Stephanie Vaquer suffered a failure to secure a WWE contract and pursue her dream of becoming a wrestler one day, the former NXT Women’s Champion has not looked back.

Speaking to Denise Salcedo, Vaquer reflected on her tryout and how that experience changed her.

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.

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.

Her NXT run in the company has been nothing short of a dream.

It landed her straight on the main event roster in the company, featuring against other prominent superstars in the company.

Stephanie Vaquer in action during her days in the NXT.

(Image Credit: WWE)

The opportunity of a lifetime is right on the horizon for Stephanie Vaquer.

She is poised to compete against Iyo Sky for the Women’s World Championship at Wrestlepalooza.

Vaquer earned this rare opportunity in her career by winning the Women’s Battle Royal at WWE Evolution and creating a standout moment in the event.

If Vaquer manages to pull this off and create history, it will be a breakthrough in her career.

Not only that, it will also consolidate the fact that WWE under Triple H is keen to bring younger, talented wrestlers to the top spot of the company and create the next generation of remarkable superstars inside the ring.

Do you think that the WWE tryout in 2018 has worked wonders for Stephanie Vaquer’s wrestling career? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.

Wrestlepalooza 2025 will be streaming on September 20, 2025, on ESPN in the US and Netflix everywhere else.