The path to championship gold often begins with childhood inspiration, and for Stephanie Vaquer, that spark came from WWE Hall of Famer Rey Mysterio. In a recent interview, the former NXT Women’s World Champion recalled how, at just 12 years old, she sold hot dogs to buy a ticket to see her idol perform live.
Speaking with Chris Van Vliet on the Insight podcast, Vaquer explained that her parents couldn’t afford tickets to WWE’s first show in her native Chile. Determined not to miss the chance, she took the initiative herself. “I started to sell hot dogs in my neighborhood. When I take all the money and save the money for that ticket,” she said. “I cry like for three days. I cry a lot and say, No, I really want to go and see Rey Mysterio. I’m big fan… Now I talk with Rey Mysterio, and I say, yeah, when I was 12, and now I can talk with Rey Mysterio. I’m a big fan, he’s amazing. He made me believe you can take your dream and really do it.”
That first experience shaped her career path. Vaquer noted that watching the smaller Mysterio succeed against much larger opponents convinced her that her own goals were possible, even as a woman breaking into a male-dominated sport in a country without a major wrestling scene. “If Rey Mysterio can have a match with Big Show, big guys, and win. Why can’t I do that?” she reflected.
It’s part of her preparation for one of the biggest tests of her career: a Women’s World Championship clash with IYO SKY at this Saturday’s Wrestlepalooza.