WWE Backlash 2023 premium live event was airing, live from Coliseo de Puerto Rico José Miguel Agrelot in San Juan, Puerto Rico. It was the first time that a WWE Pay-Per-View/WWE Network/Peacock Specials went down in Puerto Rico since New Year’s Revolution in January 2005 and hence it’s needless to say that the craze was too high among the audience in that area.
This is also the reason why WWE Backlash 2023 had numerous Puerto Rican natives in top matches or special appearances. Zelina Vega was one of them who got her maiden opportunity to challenge for the Smackdown Women’s Title held by Rhea Ripley on this PPV.
WWE Backlash 2023: Cody Rhodes Leaves Brock Lesnar Covered In Blood
LOVE LOVE LOVE @SamanthaTheBomb introducing Rhea Ripley and Zelina Vega. #WWE #WWEBacklash pic.twitter.com/Ng2ftX9LMi
— Steve Fall – Ten Count (@SteveFall) May 7, 2023
By the end of the match, she may not have walked out as the new SmackDown Women’s Champion, but she did receive a standing ovation from the San Juan, Puerto Rico crowd before and after the match, a memory that will remain evergreen in her hearts. For those who don’t know, Vega was born in New York but she is of Puerto Rican descent.
WWE Smackdown: Multi-Time Champion’s Retirement Evident After New Live Event Announcements?
Full video: Rhea Ripley vs. Zelina Vega #RheaRipley
(@RheaRipley_WWE) pic.twitter.com/Ggfy3Msa4M
— Rhea-Ripley.Net | Fansite (@RheaRipleyNet) May 7, 2023
WWE Backlash 2023: Zelina Vega enjoyed a once-in-a-lifetime moment in Puerto Rico
Thus, Zelina Vega had an emotional entrance on WWE Backlash 2023 as she walked to the ring with a Puerto Rican flag draped around her with her family and friends sitting in the front row. Her ring gear was also prepped with the same color combination as that of the Puerto Rican flag. She was visibly emotional in front of her hometown as the ring announcer was making the introduction.
Despite all these supports, Vega was unable to keep down an indomitable Rhea Ripley after a seven-minute match. There was a point when Vega was so close to getting the pin-fall after a 619 followed by a Meteora off the top ropes only for Ripley to kick out of it. Ripley quickly kicked her back and planted her with the Riptide to secure a dominating pin-fall win at WWE Backlash 2023.
Despite the shortcoming, the ever-energetic San Juan crowd continued offering her a standing ovation once the match. Breaking into tears, Vega soaked up at that moment before finally leaving the ramp. It’s possible that Vega would be off from the title picture after digesting the clean pin-fall loss. She was chosen as the challenger as WWE Backlash 2023 took place in her hometown, in the first place.
