Stephanie Vaquer Details Struggles With Illness Before WrestlePalooza Championship Win

Stephanie Vaquer’s big WWE Women’s World Title victory at Wrestlepalooza almost didn’t happen under ideal circumstances. While fans saw her celebrate in Indianapolis, both she and Triple H later confirmed that she wasn’t at full strength leading into the match.

During the Wrestlepalooza post-show, Triple H praised Vaquer’s performance but admitted she had been struggling for weeks. He revealed that her recent absence from television was tied to illness rather than injury.

“She absolutely does have it all. I’ll let everyone in on a behind-the-scenes secret about Stephanie Vaquer, in the last few weeks, she’s been very sick. She had a — I don’t know the details of the flu-like thing going on. It’s why she missed the TV. It’s why she wasn’t feeling well, but she got better for it. So, for her to get a win like she did tonight is incredible. She’s only been here for a short time, but she’s going to become a dominant force.”

That story was backed up by Vaquer herself. Speaking to Sports Illustrated’s The Takedown just before the show, she explained how much the illness set her back in training.

“To be honest, the last three weeks I was no good. I was sick. My body [does] not feel like a hundred percent,” Vaquer admitted. “I feel a little weak. I could not train really good the last month, but when I [was] back last Monday, I really feel the people and I really feel everything and really forget everything about that.”

Her words make it clear that stepping into Wrestlepalooza wasn’t easy, but she still managed to push through and leave with the championship. Between Triple H’s admiration and her own admission, the new champion has already proven that she’s tougher than most fans even realized.

With Vaquer now leading the division, the real question becomes who WWE lines up as her next challenger — and whether she can continue to thrive after already conquering a major obstacle.