Kemo
03-20-2023, 08:04 PM
Though they started out on opposite sides of the ring, Raquel Rodriguez and Shotzi have come to form a close bond.
In a recent interview with Joel Pearl for Fightful, Rodriguez spoke about the progression of their friendship. Rodriguez noted that the two first met at a series of WWE NXT tryouts in 2016. At that point in time, Rodriguez admitted her knowledge of the sport was "very, very minimal." Shotzi, on the other hand, appeared to be the only female with prior wrestling experience amongst the group.
Rodriguez would sign to WWE shortly after the tryouts, with Shotzi following a few years later in 2019. After reporting to WWE's Performance Center, Shotzi laced up her boots to face Rodriguez in a trio of matches in EVOLVE -- WWE's independent wrestling affiliate.
Reflecting back on her earlier matches with Shotzi, Rodriguez recalled stepping up her game.
"Getting the opportunity to know that I would go with EVOLVE and have my first gimmick—a street fight is what it was. So, we were using chairs, we were using my bull rope, we were using ladders. That was the first time I ever had a match like that and it was against Shotzi.
She was already known for being this hardcore, super ready to do whatever and take whatever type of person. I was like, 'Alright, this is where you really get tested if you want to do this. ‘Cause you gotta shut up or you gotta put up, and we’re gonna do it, dang it.'"
As the two continued growing in NXT, and eventually, the main roster, Rodriguez said they established a firm friendship. In late 2022, Rodriguez and Shotzi began tag teaming together, and soon challenged for the WWE Women's Tag Team Championships.
"It was really, really fun because I felt like we built a good friendship, a good bond, a good amount of trust where we could now bring that into NXT," Rodriguez said. "My first ladder match was with Shotzi in NXT. I feel like our friendship has really grown over time and getting to tag with her on SmackDown and work against her on SmackDown. It’s been really, really fun to have those moments with her."
In a recent interview with Joel Pearl for Fightful, Rodriguez spoke about the progression of their friendship. Rodriguez noted that the two first met at a series of WWE NXT tryouts in 2016. At that point in time, Rodriguez admitted her knowledge of the sport was "very, very minimal." Shotzi, on the other hand, appeared to be the only female with prior wrestling experience amongst the group.
Rodriguez would sign to WWE shortly after the tryouts, with Shotzi following a few years later in 2019. After reporting to WWE's Performance Center, Shotzi laced up her boots to face Rodriguez in a trio of matches in EVOLVE -- WWE's independent wrestling affiliate.
Reflecting back on her earlier matches with Shotzi, Rodriguez recalled stepping up her game.
"Getting the opportunity to know that I would go with EVOLVE and have my first gimmick—a street fight is what it was. So, we were using chairs, we were using my bull rope, we were using ladders. That was the first time I ever had a match like that and it was against Shotzi.
She was already known for being this hardcore, super ready to do whatever and take whatever type of person. I was like, 'Alright, this is where you really get tested if you want to do this. ‘Cause you gotta shut up or you gotta put up, and we’re gonna do it, dang it.'"
As the two continued growing in NXT, and eventually, the main roster, Rodriguez said they established a firm friendship. In late 2022, Rodriguez and Shotzi began tag teaming together, and soon challenged for the WWE Women's Tag Team Championships.
"It was really, really fun because I felt like we built a good friendship, a good bond, a good amount of trust where we could now bring that into NXT," Rodriguez said. "My first ladder match was with Shotzi in NXT. I feel like our friendship has really grown over time and getting to tag with her on SmackDown and work against her on SmackDown. It’s been really, really fun to have those moments with her."