Raquel Rodriguez, previously known as Raquel Gonzalez, made her main roster debut during last week’s episode of WWE SmackDown where she did a backstage interview.
During a recent interview with WWE, Rodriguez spoke about her debut. She said,
“Being able to walk into SmackDown and know that this is my official call-up is just like, it’s nerve-racking because this is more pressure but it’s also exciting because this is what we work hard for and this is what we all look forward to is coming to Raw and SmackDown.”
Raquel also credited Dakota Kai for being a mentor, friend and tag partner in NXT.
“You know what’s funny? Is it kind of came full circle because my first-ever coliseum debut was in Portland [NXT TakeOver] where I debuted and became Dakota [Kai] backup, her bodyguard, right? And that’s where we formed this friendship, where we formed this team and it’s something that worked so well for us and we were just able to coexist in like a perfect pairing. I couldn’t have asked for a better mentor, better friend, a better tag team partner and I hope we get to work again together in the future but, then having that again at Stand & Deliver, not just us reuniting after being separated for almost a year but, reuniting and getting to work together again, it just flowed.
It was a lot. It was very emotional. I think if you even go back to Tuesday’s match when Dakota and Wendy [Choo] came to check on me in the ring, I did get a little emotional and I kind of looked around and I looked at the P.C and I was like, ‘This has been my life for two years since I’ve had my TV debut, this is all I’ve known.’
To know that they believed in me every step of the way and to know that they supported me every step of the way and for them to tell me that I earned this position, it solidifies and makes everything I’ve ever done, every sacrifice, five years of torturing myself mentally and trying to get over it and be positive and in the past five years, you know, it started off great because I’m like yes, my dream job and I was just excited to be here and I wanted to work hard. When you step into the P.C, you know this is the ultimate goal; is going to Raw, going to be part of SmackDown and then finally you make it and that’s exactly what NXT did for me is NXT helped me grow, it helped me be comfortable in this position and now I feel even more confident than ever that I’m just gonna kill it.”
More confident than ever, @RaquelWWE is ready to shine on #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/TbecpgU7no
— WWE (@WWE) April 14, 2022
H/T to POST Wrestling for the transcription
