Raquel Rodriguez isn’t waiting around for WWE to hand her more ring time — she’s been actively asking for it.
During an appearance on Busted Open Radio, the WWE Women’s Intercontinental Champion opened up about the work she has put in behind the scenes to improve in the ring, revealing that she has deliberately pushed to get booked on more WWE live events so she can rack up as many repetitions as possible.
Rodriguez was asked what she has done over the past few years to get better between the ropes. She explained that the process goes well beyond what fans see on television, with additional training, film study and outside influences all playing a part.
“I think I’ve really just focused on my style. Obviously, I go and I train. I train out in Louisiana with Dan Davis, who was my dad’s old tag team partner, because I live here in Texas now. When I can, I try to get to the Dungeon. I try to get to Nattie’s. I also like to watch a lot of film. I watch a lot of film on old wrestlers. I watch a lot of overseas wrestling as well, just to get a better idea of, if I’m put in a certain situation, how am I going to handle it?”
But Rodriguez made it clear that studying wrestling only goes so far. She believes there is no substitute for actually getting into the ring, which is why she has been pushing for more live-event bookings over the past year.
“And I will say the reps help too. For the past year, I’ve been on the road a lot. I’ve been doing a lot of the live events. I’ve been overseas. I’ve been asking to do more and more events where I can, just to get the reps in. And, I mean, the reps really do count. They really do help.”
That admission immediately caught the attention of the Busted Open hosts, who pointed out that hearing a WWE Superstar ask for additional live events shows just how valuable those shows can be for wrestlers looking to sharpen their game. Rodriguez said the benefits aren’t limited to learning what works inside the ring either. Working different towns and different crowds also gives WWE talent more opportunities to establish themselves with fans.
“It’s building that connection with the fans, too. It’s being out there and putting your face out there and putting your name out there and putting your personality out there, and letting the fans really grasp onto what you bring to the table, pretty much.”
Rodriguez believes that connection ultimately feeds into everything WWE is trying to accomplish, from individual performances to larger storylines.
“I think that all helps overall when it comes to our talent, our storylines and what we want to do as a company as a whole.”
Rodriguez is now carrying singles gold on WWE television, but her comments make it clear she isn’t treating that championship as proof that the work is finished. She’s still looking for more matches, more repetitions and more chances to get better every time she steps through the curtain.
What do you think about Raquel Rodriguez actively asking WWE for more live-event matches to improve her game? Do you think more WWE talent should be doing the same thing? Leave your feedback in the comments.
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