Felix Upton on August 21, 2025
Roxanne Perez isn’t just wearing the nickname “The Prodigy” anymore—she’s owning it.
In a new interview with Chris Van Vliet, the former two-time NXT Women’s Champion opened up about how the title once felt like a heavy burden but now represents everything she’s worked for.
Perez admitted that when she first arrived in WWE, the pressure nearly overwhelmed her. She was starstruck, questioning if she truly belonged among some of wrestling’s biggest stars. But after proving herself in the ring and holding championship gold twice, her confidence has shifted.
“I feel like I have so many pinch me moments here in WWE and I just feel like they’re never going to stop, to be honest, because it’s things like this that happen and I’m just like—I feel like before I was just very starstruck when I first got here and I was just like, ‘Oh my God, this is crazy.’ And I still feel that way, but now it’s more of a feeling of, like, ‘Yeah, I belong here. This is how it was supposed to happen. This is everything that I ever worked for.’”
She then dove into what it’s like to live under the nickname “The Prodigy,” admitting it hasn’t always been easy.
“There is a lot of pressure when your nickname is the Prodigy, right? It’s pressure that you put on yourself now, but it’s also pressure from the people you work with and also the fans. Like, they’re expecting a lot from you.”
Over time, Perez said the pressure transformed from something stressful into something motivating.
“I think now it’s good pressure. I think—like how I said before—it was the pressure of like, ‘Okay, am I the Prodigy? Can I live up to that? Am I as good as I say I am when I’m surrounded by all these people?’ And now I’m like, ‘Yeah. I am The Prodigy. I’ve been doing this for ten years now. I can hang in the ring with Alexa Bliss, with Meiko Satomura, with Asuka, with all these women.’ And I’m like, ‘Yeah. I feel like I finally solidified myself as what I say I am.’”
At just 23 years old, Perez has already achieved milestones that most wrestlers only dream about. With her self-doubt gone and her confidence stronger than ever, she’s now setting her sights on proving she’s more than just a prodigy—she’s a future legend.
Please credit Ringside News if you use the above transcript in your publication.
Do you think Roxanne Perez is on her way to being the face of WWE’s women’s division? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.
August 21, 2025 6:21 pm
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