González is a second generation professional wrestler, following her father Rick González, and began her career in June 2016 on the
independent circuit.[5][6] She signed with WWE in October 2016, performing under her real name, and debuted for the company's
developmental brand,
NXT, in early 2017. Her ring name changed to Reina González later that year before it again changed to Raquel González in early 2020. In early 2021, she and
Dakota Kai won the
inaugural Women's Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic, subsequently becoming the inaugural NXT Women's Tag Team Champions, a title they won again in early 2022 for a record-tying second time.[a] She moved to the main roster on
SmackDown in April 2022 with her ring name changed to Raquel Rodriguez, and then transferred to Raw the following year. While on the main roster, she won the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship once with
Aliyah and then later twice with
Liv Morgan.
Early life
Victoria González was born on January 12, 1991, in
La Feria, Texas, United States.[7] She is of Mexican descent.[7] A fan of professional wrestling growing up, she cited
Madusa and
Lita as her inspirations,[5] as well as her father Rick, who was also a wrestler.[6] Through high school and college, González was a
basketball player, playing collegiately for the
Texas A&M–Kingsville Javelinas.[5] In 2013, she transferred to
Sam Houston State University where she continued her collegiate basketball career, and earned her bachelor's degree in Mass Communication.[5][6]
Professional wrestling career
WWE
Early appearances (2016–2020)
On October 25, 2016, it was reported that González had signed with
WWE and reported to the
WWE Performance Center.[1] She made her in-ring debut on January 20, 2017, under her birth name at an
NXTlive event, where she was unsuccessful winning a 12-woman
battle royal.[8] On the May 3 episode of NXT, González made her first television appearance in a losing effort, where she was eliminated during a battle royal to determine the #1 contender for the
NXT Women's Championship.[9] Under the name Reina González, she competed in the inaugural
Mae Young Classic tournament, where she was eliminated during the first round by
Nicole Savoy, which aired on August 28.[10] González would compete again in the tournament in 2018, where she once again was eliminated in the first round by
Kacy Catanzaro.[11]
Kai and González took part in the
inaugural Women's Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic, defeating
Aliyah and Jessi Kamea in the first round,[22] Kacy Catanzaro and
Kayden Carter in the semi-finals,[23] and Moon and Blackheart at
Vengeance Day on February 14 to win the tournament.[24] As a result of their win, they received a match for the
WWE Women's Tag Team Championship against champions
Nia Jax and
Shayna Baszler on March 3; the match ended in controversy, with Jax and Baszler retaining after Baszler
submitted Kai despite her not being tagged in.[25] As a result, González and Kai were crowned the inaugural
NXT Women's Tag Team Champions the following week, the first title in González's career; however, they would lose the titles 56 minutes later to Blackheart and Moon in their first title defense.[26][27]
NXT Women's Champion (2021–2022)
On April 7, 2021, at the first night of
NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver, González defeated Shirai to become the new
NXT Women's Champion.[28] On the May 11 episode of NXT, she made her first successful title defense against
Mercedes Martinez.[29] On June 13 at
NXT TakeOver: In Your House, González retained the title against Ember Moon.[30] On the July 27 episode of NXT, González was attacked by Kai, turning
face for the first time in her career and ending their alliance.[31] This led to a title match between the two at
NXT TakeOver 36 on August 22,[32] where González retained and was confronted by
Kay Lee Ray.[33]
On the September 28 episode of NXT, after retaining the title against
Franky Monet, she was attacked by
Toxic Attraction (
Mandy Rose,
Gigi Dolin, and
Jacy Jayne).[34] The following week, a
Spin the Wheel, Make the Deal match between González and Rose for the title was made for
Halloween Havoc on October 26,[35] where she lost the NXT Women's Championship to Rose in a
Trick or Street Fight due to the returning Kai's interference, ending her reign at 202 days.[36] On December 5 at
WarGames, González,
Cora Jade, Io Shirai and Kay Lee Ray defeated Kai and Toxic Attraction in a WarGames match.[37] At
New Year's Evil on January 4, 2022, González failed to regain the title in a triple threat match also involving Jade, who Rose pinned to retain the title.[38] González and Jade then took part in the Women's Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic, defeating Valentina Feroz &
Yulisa Leon in the first round,[39] but lost to Kai and
Wendy Choo in the semi-finals on March 8 at
Roadblock.[40]
On the March 29 episode of NXT, after Toxic Attraction took out Choo, Dakota Kai attacked the group and was assisted by a returning González, whom Kai embraced afterwards.[41] It was then announced that Kai and González would face Toxic Attraction members Gigi Dolin and Jacy Jayne for the NXT Women's Tag Team Championship during the pre-show of
NXT Stand & Deliver on April 2,[42] in which they were successful in winning the titles.[43] Their first title defense was scheduled for the following episode of NXT,[44] where they lost the titles back to Toxic Attraction due to Mandy Rose's interference; this was González's final appearance in NXT.[45]
WWE Women's Tag Team Champion (2022–2023)
On the April 8 episode of SmackDown, González made her main roster debut in a backstage segment under the new ring name Raquel Rodriguez.[46] On the April 29 episode of SmackDown, she made her in-ring debut for the brand, defeating
local competitor Cat Cardoza.[47] On the May 13 episode of SmackDown, Rodriguez answered
Ronda Rousey's open challenge for the
SmackDown Women's Championship, but lost.[48] On the June 17 episode of SmackDown, Rodriguez defeated Shayna Baszler to qualify for the
Money in the Bankladder match on July 2,[49] which was won by
Liv Morgan.[50] On the August 5 episode of SmackDown, Rodriguez competed in a
gauntlet match to determine the number one contender to Morgan's SmackDown Women's Championship, but was the last woman eliminated by Baszler.[51] The following week, she and Aliyah participated in the
WWE Women's Tag Team Championship Tournament, defeating Shotzi and
Xia Li in the first round,[52] and
Natalya and
Sonya Deville in the semi-finals.[53] On the August 29 episode of Raw, Rodriguez and Aliyah defeated
Damage CTRL (Dakota Kai and
Iyo Sky) in the finals to win the vacant
tag titles, making her the first woman to have held the NXT Women's and WWE Women's Tag Team Championships.[54] On the September 12 episode of Raw, they lost the titles to Kai and Sky, ending their reign at 14 days.[55] After Shotzi saved her from an attack by Damage CTRL,[56] they challenged Kai and Sky for the titles on the October 21 episode of SmackDown, but were unsuccessful after
Bayley distracted Shotzi.[57] On the November 11 episode of SmackDown, she competed in a
six-pack challenge to determine the #1 contender to Rousey's SmackDown Women's Championship, which was won by Shotzi.[58] On the December 23 episode of SmackDown, Rodriguez won a gauntlet match to become the number one contender to Ronda Rousey's SmackDown Women's Championship.[59] The following week on SmackDown, Rodriguez failed to win the title after interference from Shayna Baszler.[60]
She entered her first
Royal Rumble match at the
titular event on January 28, 2023. She entered at #22 and eliminated Nia Jax,
Lacey Evans, and
Piper Niven before being eliminated by eventual winner Rhea Ripley.[61] At Night 2 of
WrestleMania 39, Rodriguez teamed with Liv Morgan to take part in the women's WrestleMania Showcase fatal four-way tag team match, which was won by Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler.[62] On the April 3 episode of Raw, Rodriguez teamed with Morgan to defeat Dakota Kai and Iyo Sky of Damage CTRL to become new number one contenders for the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship, with the title match being scheduled for the following week against reigning champions
Lita and
Becky Lynch.[63] However, Lita was attacked backstage by an unknown assailant, and was replaced by
Trish Stratus. Rodriguez and Morgan would go on to win and became the new champions.[64]
As part of the
2023 WWE Draft, Rodriguez was drafted to the
Rawbrand.[65] On the May 19 episode of SmackDown, Rodriguez and Morgan vacated the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship due to Morgan suffering an injury, ending their first reign at 39 days.[66] On the May 29 episode of Raw, Rodriguez and her new tag team partner,
Shotzi, failed to win the vacant titles.[67] On the June 19 episode of Raw, Rodriguez lost the qualifying match for the women's
Money in the Bank ladder match to
Trish Stratus by disqualification when Becky Lynch attacked Stratus halfway through the match.[68] On the June 23 episode of SmackDown, after reigning WWE Women's Tag Team Champions Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler defeated NXT Women's Tag Team Champions
Alba Fyre and
Isla Dawn in a
unification match, Rodriguez and the returning Morgan challenged Rousey and Baszler for the tag team titles at
Money in the Bank.[69][70] At the event, Rodriguez and Morgan regained the championships after Baszler turned on Rousey.[71] On the July 17 episode of Raw, Rodriguez and Morgan were scheduled to defend their titles against
Sonya Deville and
Chelsea Green, but Rhea Ripley attacked Rodriguez and Morgan before the match, causing Rodriguez to sustain a left knee injury. Later that night, Rodriguez and Morgan lost the titles to Deville and Chelsea Green, ending their second reign at 16 days.
Championship pursuits and hiatuses (2023–present)
After her return on the August 21, 2023 episode of Raw, Rodriguez challenged Rhea Ripley several times for the
Women's World Championship, but she didn't win the title.[72] On January 2, 2024, Rodriguez revealed she was diagnosed with
mast cell activation syndrome, which has resulted in her being absent from in-ring competition.[73] After a two-month hiatus, Rodriguez returned on February 19 episode of Raw, winning a
Last Chance Battle Royal to earn the sixth and final spot in the women's
Elimination Chamber match at
Elimination Chamber: Perth.[74] She would, however, fail at the event after being eliminated by
Bianca Belair.[75] On March 18, 2024, she was pulled again from the active roster.[76]
Professional wrestling style
During her time in
NXT, González performed a one-arm
powerbomb as a finishing move called the Chingona Bomb.[6] The move was renamed to the Tejana Bomb when she was drafted to the main roster since it was deemed too vulgar.[77]