Stephanie Vaquer is sitting on top of the world right now in NXT as the current NXT Womens Champion. She also held the NXT Womens North American Championship as a double champion after defeating Giulia at Roadblock in March. Vaquer has been with NXT/WWE since July of last year and the deal came together quite quickly after she had a huge match against Mercedes Mone at AEW x NJPWs Forbidden Door Event. At that event, it was Title vs. Title as Mone became the NJPW STRONG Womens Champion.
Vaquer spoke recently with Kevin Felgueras of Rock & Pop FM where she detailed the signing she had with WWE. In fact, WWE originally stated they couldnt do the money that AEW was offering her, but a discussion with Shawn Michaels changed everything for her.
It caught me by surprise, as I was still in talks with WWE. We are going to tell the whole story. What happened is that I was involved in a very important match. After that match, WWE called me on the phone and said, Are you interested in working with us? and I said, Of course I am, what do you propose?. They asked me afterwards, Would you like to go to the Main Roster or NXT? and I said Main Roster first. There were money deals and I was waiting for the proposal because at that time I was living in Mexico and I had a double contract with NJPW and CMLL and, at that time, I had the most important Womens World Championship in NJPW and the two most important womens championships in Mexico, so I had a huge responsibility in me from the biggest companies in their respective countries.
I am a person who likes to do things calmly and think well, not rushed. I was so excited that WWE reached out to me. Someone from the office talked to me, and that was the negotiation. I remember I went back and talked to my company, CMLL, and told them that they called me and offered me to work with them, and my boss thought I was talking about AEW because I said they would talk to me. We just stared at each other and I asked wait, did AEW talk to you? and he said, yes, they talked to me yesterday because they wanted to do business with you. The contract with CMLL had already expired and with NJPW we had a special contract with them, so then I contacted WWE and they took me to Toronto where we were going to talk about the contract and we were going to negotiate. But I still had a date pending that same day with the company and had all three titles. I went to my boss and asked if I could go to Toronto, and he permitted me. When I was already in Toronto at the hotel, people from AEW talked to me and said, We know you are in Toronto, dont sign, and then I said, Now hold on, what are yall offering? (Giggles).
I swear, there was a moment when I didnt know what to do, so I talked to my dad, who is the one who solves things for me when I dont know what to do and helps me make the best decisions. I hadnt eaten all week, and I told them Im going to get home because its my nieces birthday and Ill have an answer for everyone tomorrow. Let me analyze this. WWE was my dream, but Im a responsible adult, and I was thinking that I have too much on my plate to let myself get carried away with a childhood dream, and I gave it a lot of thought. I talked to AEW, and they offered to pay for the hotel stay in Toronto so I could be with them. I talked to WWE, and they said whatever I decided in the negotiation. I paid for my hotel and flight, so I didnt favor anyone, especially since there was an NXT show that same day. WWEs idea was for me to appear in the front row, and I told them that I felt it wasnt right, I was still with the company (CMLL), and also, out of respect and gratitude, I didnt feel it was the right thing to do. WWE completely understood, and then I talked to my dad. He told me to follow my heart, and I remember talking to WWE afterwards.
I told them what AEW was offering me, and they said we cant afford that. Thank you very much and good luck at AEW, and at that point I cried, and even my dad asked, Why are you crying after being offered all that cash? (Giggles).
I said I was going to calm down, and then Shawn Michaels called me. He said, Stephanie, I know you understand English, and I want to talk to you personally. Im Shawn Michaels, and I have this proposal. When I talked to him, he asked me if this was about the money. I told him it wasnt the money; this is my life, and I sacrificed my whole life for wrestling, and no money will pay for that. Shawn Michaels understood that and told me some words I will keep for the rest of my life because they are words from a wise person who made me make the best decision. I was on my way to Mexico and they contacted me from WWE to tell me what they were offering, and then they asked me, What do you say? And I answered, Lets do it, and thats how it went. (Transcript Fightful)
Vaquer will be defending the NXT Womens Title at Stand & Deliver on April 19 in a Fatal Four-way against Giulia, Jaida Parker, and Jordynne Grace.
