March 23, 2026 • 28 mins
Thunder Rosa visited the Cruz Show to talk about AEW, her career, life & so much more.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
It was good. Boy d what what's good?
Speaker 2 (00:03):
Everybody?
Speaker 1 (00:03):
This is what's good?
Speaker 3 (00:05):
This glove really and you're checking out the Cruise Show podcast.
Speaker 1 (00:08):
Make sure to subscribe. Rate sure, Liz go go.
Speaker 4 (00:12):
All right, ladies and gentlemen, I met, I met, I.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Is here thunder Rosa. Let's go.
Speaker 3 (00:18):
Thank you for having me. This is really exciting. I
have some friends in iHeart Radio in San Diego. So
here yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Yea, yeah, Hey what up? There you go? I see you, yo.
So you are prepared, you come prepared?
Speaker 1 (00:31):
Look at you?
Speaker 2 (00:32):
You look great?
Speaker 1 (00:32):
Well yeah, I have to come and gimmick. Man. It's
like having a mask and just coming without a mask.
Speaker 5 (00:37):
You.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
I can't do that.
Speaker 4 (00:39):
No, no, no, no, no no, which means you know you
have a There's a level of commitment I believe that
you have from watching your performances and hearing about your
story and doing a lot of research on you, your love,
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
Commitment is crazy.
Speaker 3 (00:52):
I appreciate you because you know, you know how many
times I've been in interviews and they don't know, so
tell me about you. I'm like, bro, aren't you supposed
to do it? Like research?
Speaker 4 (01:02):
Like now you know they don't know when they're like, Hi,
I'm here with and you have to introduce yours.
Speaker 1 (01:07):
I know that I do it a lot though.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
That's okay.
Speaker 4 (01:09):
That's at least they're trying and they and they're interested, right, yes,
and you're very gracious with your time.
Speaker 1 (01:14):
No, no, no, it's my pleasure. I love LA.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
I was here for the paper view that happened yesterday
when I just went to see my friends because I
wasn't booked.
Speaker 1 (01:23):
Sorry, I wasn't. I feel sorry for you guys because you.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
Don't get to see me in my you know, and
my glamorous self out there.
Speaker 1 (01:29):
But it was sold out.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
It was revolution and there was one thing I love
I Before I went there, I was at the hospital
with someone and I saw a video of someone with
a sign that says tortas for and and I was like,
I have to go there.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
I have to get that sign.
Speaker 3 (01:44):
I have to get it signed by Andre, take that
picture with Andrede and then give.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
It to the fan.
Speaker 3 (01:48):
So as I was walking, you know, I like to
do this when I'm not booked in shows, so I
just like to rile the fans up. So I'm like
walking with and everybody saying some matches going I'm like,
I'm so disrespectful.
Speaker 1 (02:01):
I'm sorry for my friends.
Speaker 3 (02:03):
But anyways, that we got to sign and the fan,
I don't think he recognized me, and the mom wo
knew who I was. It's like, you know that's thunder Rosa, right,
and I'm like, yeah, you're welcome. So I signed and
I sign it and then I signed on the back
of the sign You're welcome aka thund Rosa.
Speaker 1 (02:17):
I love doing that for the fans. I was a
fan myself.
Speaker 4 (02:19):
You know, No, that's right, you were right. You came
into the game. I guess some would say later or
later than some. I guess right at twenty seven years old.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
Was twenty seven?
Speaker 4 (02:27):
Yeah, yeah, you started and you you know, you changed
your life. You were a social worker, yes, from Berkeley,
and I don't know something told you that you need
a change and you need to follow this dream or
something that kept nagging at you.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
Right.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
Well, you know the fact that I was not able
to do sports when I was younger because of my
socio economics. I grew up in Tijuana and there was
four girls. We didn't have a lot of money. So
the options was either I go and do soccer and
have no money and maybe like I have to like
sacrifice school or I put my butt work and support
(03:02):
my family. So I've been working since I was fourteen.
So when I came to America, I had the opportunity
to do stuff. But everything was through academics because I
was so like gun hold that if I get my degree,
I will get out of poverty. And honestly, that was
like the best decision that I ever made, like.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
I got I get your education.
Speaker 3 (03:20):
Yes, And but this country at the time, I'm telling you,
like twenty five years ago, there were so many things
set up for people like us, like people of color,
people that were like, you know, I myself poor, Like
I lived in and we've been room apartment with seven people. Yeah,
my parents sleep in the living room and like I
sleep with we rented people didn't know right, No, Yeah,
(03:44):
it was my mom's friend like with her daughter, and
I saw my sister and I we had a bunk bed,
so we sleep in in the single bed and then
the lady slept on the bottom bed with her daughter.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
You know.
Speaker 1 (03:54):
So it was rough. It was really rough.
Speaker 3 (03:56):
So but the stuff that were set up for us
during that time, it allowed me to go to UC
came to UCLA for a week and saw how it
is to live on campus, and then with UH with
community college, how it was designed. Back then there was
a lot of resources. I was able to visit Ucy
Berkeley and and then at the time my ex husband
(04:16):
he was like, I think you should go to Usiberkle
if you're gonna choose the school.
Speaker 4 (04:19):
So a dorm must have seemed like a mansion when
you saw it, well it was.
Speaker 1 (04:24):
It was if people complain about it, I was.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
Like, you, I could deal with this.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
I never had my own room, right, you know, I was,
so I wouldn't mind if I had like a roommate,
Like I was like, oh, but this is my bed.
I never had a real like maybe I did have
a bed, but not really. I got to share with
my little sisters, So I never really had like my
own bed, like things that people are used to or
might be used to. I wasn't used to it, like
having your own stuff and your own room and your
(04:47):
own space. There was nothing like that, right, And that's
something a lot of immigrants understand, like when you come here,
can you oc curse in Spanish?
Speaker 1 (04:59):
So it was really rough for me.
Speaker 3 (05:01):
So it just imagined it was like I always wanted
to do something cool, and I was very I was
very athletic, and I had to learn everything in college,
like playing basketball, volleyball, learning how to swim.
Speaker 1 (05:14):
I didn't know how to swim.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
Yeah, I still know.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
We do classes. I learned how to kayak, like all
these things.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
Like we took advantage of everything absolutely.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
Yeah, but it was through school.
Speaker 3 (05:26):
So just imagine that, like education like opened the doors
for everything. And then once I was done, I was
kind of lost, and I was about to, like I
was about to like apply for my master's degree, and
I had my paperwork already ready to be submitted. And
then wrestling happened. And then my ex was like, maybe
you should try it. Like we got the money, now,
we got all this, we got all the roommates in
(05:47):
our apartment because we still live in Oakland. You can
do it.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
I al support you.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
And then and I jumped in and did it and
fell in love with it, and it was like the
most addicting thing I ever done.
Speaker 2 (05:57):
WOA, So did you you didn't grow up necessarily? Were
you a fan of it?
Speaker 3 (06:02):
And growing up in Tijuana, I was fan of whoever
was and the noilas of course.
Speaker 1 (06:08):
Like stuff like that.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
I mean, I knew about Remy Steady and everything because
he's so he's so iconic, right, But I didn't really
watch wrestling growing up until I didn't start watching wrestling
that I was in my twenties. It was like, I
remember bringing people to my house to watch on the
pay per views, and then I watched TNA and Not
Because Division at the time, which was like hot, and
I was like, these ladies can go. Because of what
I used to watch on w W. It was not
(06:31):
of my interest.
Speaker 1 (06:33):
Yeah, I remember.
Speaker 3 (06:34):
Watching some of the like brass and Panties and my
friend was like, Melissa, don't ever do that. We're going
to watch really bad women's wrestling. But it was what
it was at the time, right, Yeah, And I just
and I saw my friend. I was like, remember when
you make me watch like really bad wrestling. He's like, yeah,
well I don't have to do that now we're iconic.
Speaker 1 (06:51):
So yeah, I'm not.
Speaker 3 (06:53):
I wasn't a fan, but uh, you know, life changes
you and and you start getting all their tastes for things.
So I went to Wrestle many twenty five in Houston,
and that really changed a lot of things. There was
a lot of people in that arena that became part
of my life later on in life.
Speaker 1 (07:09):
So it's just like it's a full circle. You met
your world there right, Yes, yes, yes, yes, yeah?
Speaker 2 (07:14):
Did ww HW Are you to be a referee at one? No?
Speaker 3 (07:17):
They in twenty nineteen, they call me and they were like,
are you ready to hang up the boots?
Speaker 1 (07:24):
And I was like, well, you know, I needed money.
Speaker 3 (07:25):
So I was like, I needed steady money because, brother,
being an independent professional wrestler is when you're talking about
a hustle, it's a hustle. I had a job when
I was in the Bay Area, but when I decided
to do wrestling full time, I was depending on my
ex husband in like my hustle, and I was hustling
all the time, and I was tired, like hustling up
(07:47):
after like seven years, You're like, man, I need I
need a job or like somethings to happen, so stability, yes,
And they offered me like sixty thousand dollars a year,
which at the time it was like all right, yeah,
it's better than when I was making right and there
was a hurricane that happened, and then they just keep
like pushing my tryout and then never happened. But it
(08:11):
was meant to be that way, and that's when I
made the decision to jump into MMA because they offered
me a three thousand dollar contract.
Speaker 1 (08:18):
And I was like, bro, it's a lot of money. No,
it's not.
Speaker 3 (08:20):
When you have to do MMA and everything that comes
with being an MMA fighter is super expensive.
Speaker 4 (08:25):
But at the time, everything costs, yes, time and everything.
Speaker 3 (08:29):
And bear in mind, the whole entire time I was
doing MMA, which was I trained for six months to
go into this fight, professional fight. I never had a
you know, undercar like nothing. I went professional right away.
I was wrestling to make money to pay for my account,
so I was so banged up the whole entire time.
I never had time to rest before my fight. I
(08:49):
think I rested like two weeks before because I was like, Okay,
I I gotta focus.
Speaker 1 (08:52):
Now because I'm gonna get hurt.
Speaker 3 (08:54):
And it was one of the toughest things I've ever
done in my life. But once I hit the the cage,
like and they close the cage, when I feel closer
to God, because I was like, I can die right now.
Speaker 1 (09:07):
Things bat.
Speaker 3 (09:08):
But I also I was like, there's nothing nobody can
tell me that I can do because I jump into
M M A at thirty three with no business to
be there.
Speaker 1 (09:17):
With no business, I was a white belt.
Speaker 3 (09:20):
I was a white belt. I learned how to like kickbox,
I learned how to box. I learned how to do
all these things.
Speaker 2 (09:24):
So was it like, did it feel like you were
too early and too late at the same time?
Speaker 1 (09:27):
Yes, yes, and no, yes and no. I just I
just looked with you know, I was like yeah.
Speaker 3 (09:33):
And then I this is way before I became like
famous for the lights out match in AW so I
had more respect on like bleeding. I have a cut
in my forehead because I got elbow in the second round.
Speaker 1 (09:47):
You I did and I did not.
Speaker 3 (09:51):
I did, but I did because it just like it
reminded me that I am. I'm a badass, like through
and through, and I was a draw to. There was
like thunder section all in the front, like we were
able to sell tickets. It was at the coliseum in
San Antonio where I won my championship and yeh on
three sixteen, which today is thund Rolls a Day, by
the way, and in Bear County in San Antonio.
Speaker 1 (10:11):
It was a proclamation. A couple of years ago.
Speaker 3 (10:13):
So it was everything that has happened in my life
in the last I don't know, ten fifteen years. It
was meant to happen when I told you, with that
WrestleMania and the people that were in that WrestleMania. My
friends that are like my sisters and my brothers now
they were there too. So it's just like the world
works in the very everything. Yes, yes, I'm for moments.
Speaker 2 (10:33):
Yes, that's amazing. You know Jackie, I think didn't we
have you set up to do some wrestling.
Speaker 5 (10:40):
Yeah, we were going to try it.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
We were going to try but what happened there was
it a legal thing? I think it was a legal thingy.
Speaker 4 (10:47):
They were like, I don't know if you could get hurt,
and I'm like, I'm a pro man.
Speaker 2 (10:50):
Let's go to Tijuana. Man, there's no fucking legal there.
Speaker 3 (10:53):
Yes, yes, you can be doing wrestling at a like
stop lifestop. The little kids are doing like little wrestling stuff. Yeah,
they're really good.
Speaker 1 (11:04):
What in the street, Yeah, bro, you can't have a show.
Speaker 2 (11:08):
Right, like you know how You're like, yeah, kids are
are probably yeah, yeah.
Speaker 5 (11:13):
Yeah, there's kids that are creating a whole wrestling match.
Speaker 2 (11:16):
God bless them.
Speaker 1 (11:17):
There's reel stuff that real stuff right there.
Speaker 2 (11:20):
Yes, those kids are the kids that should make it.
Speaker 1 (11:23):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (11:23):
Well that's what I'm saying is like when you wanted,
like even if it's in the street, that's I mean
a lot of people started in backyard wrestling, yeah, and
they're big, big time, no.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
Big time big.
Speaker 4 (11:32):
A lot of you know, old school wrestlers did it
that way wrestling, you know, backyard and then traveling and
fighting in random cities and auditoriums and you know, basements
and you know, just putting on a show for ten people,
fifteen people, whatever it takes, right.
Speaker 3 (11:47):
Yes, we all been there. I remember wrestling in Texas
and had a banger match with Hollydad and my one
of my best friends in front of like ten people
and there was like no bottom rope.
Speaker 2 (12:00):
Yeah yo, so you could like slide right off right.
Speaker 3 (12:03):
There's a couple like really dark videos in the web.
Like there's so many things like I look back, I mean,
this is my thirteen it's gonna be my thirteen year wrestling,
and there's so many things that I'm like, man, like
I can't believe I did that.
Speaker 1 (12:17):
I can't believe we put yourself to that. Situation. But
this is part of the hustle.
Speaker 2 (12:20):
This is part of the hustle.
Speaker 5 (12:21):
Are s looking back, like, you know, this is your
thirteen year wrestling. You've gone through like a quite a
bit of name changes. Is this the final one?
Speaker 3 (12:28):
It's been the final one. It's just people didn't give
me a chance. M It's like, hey, put a mask on.
Your name is Serpentine, your name is gonna. Because I
was in luc Underground, they call me Cobra Moon, which,
by the way, I love luc Underground. Then it was
I worked for a while and there and then they
wanted me to do what's it Astek Oh my god,
Astika and I had a mask and we did all this,
(12:51):
like we did all this like promo stuff and whatever.
And then they didn't get approved because I was still
on early ground, so I have to be Caramoon, So
that got scratched. And then and then after I did
the first season with While, they switch it because Lund
went on another direction. And then we did Serpentine. Oh
(13:14):
my god, that was I was so wild. They let
me write my own stuff. I watched it and I'm like,
I'm on drugs. No. It was just so funny, like
because I was just saying, like the most ridiculous ship.
Oh yeah, I grew up in a cave and my
parents were ship.
Speaker 1 (13:31):
I was just like you to create a story, well yeah, but.
Speaker 3 (13:35):
It was like if you listen to it, you're like
you'll start like Melissa, what the fuck is wrong with you?
Speaker 1 (13:39):
And I was just I was just having fun.
Speaker 3 (13:41):
And then the matches were fun, and it was just
it was not me. It was just I was using
the same movies as Dona Rosa. And then when I
went to n WA National Wrestling Alliance, one of the
oldest promotions in the United States, they allowed me to
be myself and this is right in between me DO
and MMA and everything, and that's when I had my
(14:03):
first like breakthrough in wrestling where I became a champion
and I was a first Mexican born wrestler in the
history of this company, which is like at the time
was like what seventy years that they had a Mexican
wrestler as a champion, which is big, like huge, huge,
and now more than before.
Speaker 1 (14:20):
I don't brag about it.
Speaker 3 (14:21):
I just celebrate that that happened to me, because how
many times do we do things and we don't celebrate it,
because it's like.
Speaker 2 (14:28):
We're just moving on to the next exactly.
Speaker 3 (14:30):
And now I'm like, no, I'm gonna celebrate it. I'm
gonna tell people like, this happened to me.
Speaker 1 (14:33):
I earned this right. And it just makes me want
to cry because it's been it's been a really rough time.
It's been for a.
Speaker 3 (14:43):
Latino woman because you see that you see the homies.
I see my homies, and I'm so happy for them, right,
the guys. But us, man, we have to break so
many lastly leans all the time.
Speaker 1 (14:52):
And even then when you're there and it's like it
just goes away so fast and you're just.
Speaker 5 (14:57):
Like and then you're expected to keep it as well.
Speaker 3 (14:59):
Yes, and and it's just so hard because there's younger
people coming in and then and it's like prettier people
coming in and it's.
Speaker 1 (15:06):
Like, oh my god.
Speaker 3 (15:07):
But you're just still like grinding and like you've got
to celebrate everything that you do and everything you earn.
Speaker 4 (15:12):
Yeah, and everything you've been through and all the work
that you've done. Those are receipts, right, that's those are
receipts that that actually happened. Yeah, and all of that
that all of your experience I believe will carry you
through and will not allow you to be forgotten or
mistreated or even pushed to the side for someone someone else, right,
(15:35):
because you've done the work.
Speaker 3 (15:36):
And not only that, it is like like the legacy
that you leave, because it's not about just carrying that
title like the first one it was, it's leaving the legacy.
And the legacy for me always been like leaving the
place better than when I got there and creating spaces
for them. I had Mission Pro Wrestling, which was based
for women, and it was run by women, and we
(15:58):
created so many memories and we help some any women,
and like I have so many people text me now
that's like, hey, are you still running in I'm like,
I don't because you know, financially, I couldn't do it
anymore because it's it's a lot of sacrifice when you
are an advocate for women or for anything right, and
it can be taxing. And I advocate so hard for
women in general and in professional wrestling and even outside
(16:20):
professional wrestling. And one of the things that I do
is a lot of speaking engagements in Mexico and San
Diego and Monterrey and San Antonio about empowering young women
or young girls to have access to safe and adequate
education in math and science and all the other aspects
that we still are having so many issues to get
(16:42):
in and to be respected, right, and.
Speaker 1 (16:46):
Also like that we deserve to be and.
Speaker 3 (16:50):
Have a safe environment, you know, like other things that
are happening and at the borders and in Mexico like
this eight m Like people are outcrying because there's so
many women that have disappeared throughout the years. There's hundreds
and thousands of women that have disappeared throughout the years,
and nobody knows where they are.
Speaker 1 (17:07):
And it's just.
Speaker 3 (17:08):
Sad that my little sister, my little sister can go
outside at night because she can get taken away and
we will never see her again.
Speaker 1 (17:16):
It is rough, it's rough.
Speaker 2 (17:18):
It's not easy.
Speaker 1 (17:19):
Nope, they don't know.
Speaker 4 (17:20):
And you know, going back to being not easy for women,
you know in general, let alone in wrestling, right and
in sports and a male dominated sport.
Speaker 2 (17:30):
Right, is that fair to say?
Speaker 1 (17:31):
Yes?
Speaker 2 (17:31):
Yeah, and it still is exactly.
Speaker 4 (17:34):
And it's crazy how like you could be the first
woman to do something and meanwhile men have been doing
that for years and here comes a woman that does
it for the first time. You know, in today's world,
it's crazy, that's crazy.
Speaker 3 (17:46):
It is really crazy, but we have to make it
less crazy and more normal, right, And yes, things are
much better that they were before, but there's still a
lot of space for for us to be more main
event and to have more spaces on TV and on
(18:07):
radio and everywhere. Like I'm also a host for a
serious exam and I've been there for four years now
doing professional wrestling, and I'm the first Latina doing that
in there too.
Speaker 1 (18:19):
It's like it's it's rough man, No, it's not.
Speaker 3 (18:23):
And it's just staying and working on it and becoming
better so people respect you. I think it's all about respect,
and it's all about and not so much like how
are I work and how how I complaining? It's not
about complaining. It's like I'm showing you with my numbers
that I can do something, Like I need a bigger opportunity,
I need.
Speaker 1 (18:42):
A bigger push.
Speaker 3 (18:42):
What's up?
Speaker 1 (18:43):
Like what else do you want me to do?
Speaker 2 (18:45):
You know?
Speaker 1 (18:46):
No, I don't know if you feel that way.
Speaker 5 (18:47):
No, no, no, no, everything, Yeah, because I think there's just
so many yeah, like we've made so much progress too,
But at the same time, like you said there's still
more to be done. Yes, and there's still more that
we can from you, you know, And I feel like
that's that is what's gonna make this next generation, this
new wave of whatever women want to do is just
(19:09):
going to excel in it.
Speaker 3 (19:10):
Yes, and we needed more than ever I feel here
in America, like if you are in a position and
where you can use your platform to not only make
people feel comfortable and feel loved and feel like seen,
I think a lot of the things feeling seen right
and advocate for it, like be someone you don't necessarily
have to be and say this, if that, but just
(19:32):
like show how you can make an example of what's
happening in a way people anyone can feel comfortable saying
I think she's right. I mean, although my politics are different,
but I think she's right. You know, people are being
mistreated this way or that way. Because when I just
came back was an oceanside. I decided to keep my
(19:55):
brown hair where tensas where ribbons and be myself.
Speaker 1 (20:01):
I'm not gonna dye my hair blan.
Speaker 3 (20:03):
I'm not gonna try to be white because I'm not white,
and society is never gonna see me as a Caucasian person.
I'm Mexicana. I'm Mexican American.
Speaker 2 (20:13):
Who's gonna keep it that way? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (20:14):
And I'm now being here for twenty plus years, i
feel like a Chicana.
Speaker 1 (20:18):
That's right right at Hanah.
Speaker 3 (20:21):
I'm like, I live in Texas now, so it's like
different cultures within within one country. So it's like, I'm
gonna show this. I'm gonna come out with something that
says there's you can't I can't take that away.
Speaker 2 (20:33):
From who I am now. Yeah, I strip that away
from me, and I'm not gonna strip it off myself.
Speaker 3 (20:37):
And let me tell you, Like though some of the
comments that I got, I got would run really nasty
comment and I had to actually make a statement because
I want people to understand that it's not okay as
a fan. As as a fan, it's not okay for
you to attack somebody because of their origin or because
of who they are, right, and and that it went
viral and and people were like texting me and their
(20:58):
their support and were texting that they couldn't believe that
that they feel that way. Because I'm very proud of
being Mexican, but I'm also being proud of getting.
Speaker 1 (21:07):
My citizenship, Like it was huge. It was a huge step.
Speaker 3 (21:11):
How many people have tried and have died at the
border trying to just live the American dream man, right,
Like I came here for the American dream, for the education,
for you know, the papers, for a house. Like I'm
the first one in my family to not only graduate
from college, but to like have own house.
Speaker 1 (21:27):
It's a big deal. It's a huge deal, and.
Speaker 2 (21:30):
It inspires generations in your family.
Speaker 3 (21:32):
Doesn't Yes, Like my little cousin, I have a lot
of femal little cousins and they buy my figures and
stuff and I'm like, oh.
Speaker 1 (21:40):
My yead Rose life is gonna be entity.
Speaker 3 (21:42):
And then they take pictures and they go and do
presentations in their class about their tea and like how
how why she is so important in her world and
also in society, right, Yeah, And you don't see like
the work that sometimes I'm so caught up on, like,
oh my.
Speaker 1 (21:57):
God, I'm not on TV. Oh my god.
Speaker 3 (21:58):
My numbers was a little like what's going on with
the algorithm? It is like, no, what's going on with
the algorithm? Is like one little girl in I don't know, Poughkeepski,
New York, that is Latina Sami on TV and now
she's doing a presentation in their school talking about you know.
Speaker 1 (22:14):
Donde Rosa.
Speaker 2 (22:16):
That's that's what it's about. Aw is your home, Yes,
that is? You know that. That's It's a very special place.
Speaker 1 (22:23):
It's a very interesting place.
Speaker 2 (22:24):
It's an interesting place, very interesting. Fair fair, fair fair.
Why is it so.
Speaker 3 (22:29):
Interesting because it was for the longest we were the alternative.
We're no longer an alternative. We're here. We're here for
We've been here for six years and the stuff that
we have been able to accomplish, and I am very
proud and I've always been very proud of this. I
was part of, like one of the biggest changes in
mainstream wrestling was having one of the most compelling and
(22:52):
brutal matches that people in mainstream media have seen. And
this happened during the pandemic in front of no people,
our peers. It was a lights out match. It was
between brid Baker, Doctor brid Baker, and me and we
won the match of the year and during that year,
which is a huge deal for professional wrestlers, and it
(23:15):
was the first time that they saw two women bleed
on TV and we had an extreme match there was
a ladder's chairs, thumb tacks.
Speaker 1 (23:23):
Name it it was.
Speaker 3 (23:25):
It was brutal. And I remember the time that that happened.
I wasn't even signed for the company. I was working
for n w A, so I was alone, alone person there.
So I remember brid was telling me like, we don't
make sure that this like goes great and and and
we don't mess up or whatever she said something else,
and I'm just thinking, like, girl, I know you're doing
it for you know, the cloud. I'm doing it because
(23:46):
like people don't understand that this is not only going
to change my life, but this is going to change
a lot of like morenitas and brown people's life, like
because we.
Speaker 1 (23:55):
Don't and not only that, like.
Speaker 3 (23:59):
I mean, I can talk about this forever, Like I
that how they pay us is different than they pay
some other people as women, as women of color too.
So at the time, like I wasn't working with them,
and they took care of me. But I knew that
this was going to be a big deal. It's going
to change my life, my finance, my finances and possibly
like the finance for the women like me. But it's
(24:22):
like you have to eat, you know, crow for other
people to like not eat crow. So it was like
that was in my mind. I was like, I cannot
mess up on this one because if I do, We're
never going to get this opportunity again.
Speaker 2 (24:34):
That's a lot.
Speaker 4 (24:34):
That's a lot on your shoulders. Yeah, it's a lot
to think About's a lot. That's a lot to have
on your mind going into it too.
Speaker 3 (24:39):
Oh yeah, I'm a sociology by heart, of course, so
I'm like, there you are the socioeconomic problems here in America,
you know, and with women of color.
Speaker 1 (24:48):
Now I was I'm dude.
Speaker 3 (24:50):
I used to like go out and like protest all
the time in the Bay Area, like even with we
did a lot of student walkouts the time that I
was there because they were racing fees for everything and
just accessibility to education.
Speaker 2 (25:04):
That was fighting just in another way.
Speaker 3 (25:07):
That and then like fighting for my clients, like my
my I just I love this because my one of
my bosses used to call me Melissa the dog right
because it's like it's not a parade. My friend, my
best friend used to tell me it is. Now like
we caught a promo on my on the last time
that I was on TV, and then uh, they called
me they called me right, and they thought I was
(25:29):
gonna take it like that's a bad thing. I was like, no,
so a mass true, like this has always been my life,
Like I have to like literally fight for everything. I
feel like a bulld like not a bulldog.
Speaker 4 (25:41):
Like you've had to fight every time, every time you've
had to fight for space on a bed.
Speaker 3 (25:46):
Right now you put it in perspective, yes, sir, that's
where it started.
Speaker 1 (25:50):
Damn No.
Speaker 3 (25:51):
I started from the womb. My mom said I had
like I started from the womb. Bro My mom started
like she said, I had umbilical court, and I was
she almos died, was finding for my life from the
moment I before, I was bless you.
Speaker 2 (26:05):
That's crazy.
Speaker 1 (26:06):
And then I fought for the bed.
Speaker 2 (26:08):
That's right, and a new trap queen champion. Yes, that's crazy.
I was like amazing.
Speaker 3 (26:14):
Yeah, and it's so funny because like my friend Jeff
Ravigno who runs Texas Wrestling Cartel. Yeah, he's the first
one who brought me to Corpus Christi, which is one
of my favorite places. Case Alina, that's right, and man,
I had about sixty fans from Mission Pro Wrestling that
came and got there on time because there was so
much traffic because of southwest southwest.
Speaker 1 (26:35):
And there was this little kid.
Speaker 3 (26:36):
Where he's not a little kid, he's eleven years old.
When I met him, he was two and at three
and he was like this big and he's like I'm
coldon remember me, and I'm like crying. I'm like, come
over here. It's beautiful to see that people are so.
Speaker 1 (26:51):
Loyal to you.
Speaker 3 (26:52):
Oh.
Speaker 2 (26:53):
Yes, wrestling fans are.
Speaker 1 (26:54):
Loyal, especially if you treat them right.
Speaker 2 (26:56):
That's right.
Speaker 1 (26:57):
I treat them like my friends.
Speaker 3 (26:58):
Like yesterday, I was like high flogging everybody, taking pictures
with everybody, hugging everybody because it's beautiful. It's like to
see to hear them say my name and there's a
match going on.
Speaker 1 (27:09):
It's wild. It's wild.
Speaker 4 (27:11):
That's amazing. It's almost like I made it moment right.
It does feel that way.
Speaker 1 (27:14):
I mean I can still make it more, yeah, more
and more bigger.
Speaker 4 (27:18):
Of course I've never done growing right, No, and shout
out the foods done wild. I know you want to
collabor with for Lao foods.
Speaker 2 (27:28):
I love.
Speaker 3 (27:30):
Yes, I've seen you. I've seen you in person, but
I was too shy to say hi. And I follow
your stuff I sent it to all my friends and
the down Low and the d MS to make them
laugh and yeah, I know they love it.
Speaker 1 (27:43):
Yes, I love it.
Speaker 3 (27:44):
It's it's I think, like what we have as a Chicano,
like Chicanos in the Chicano culture. It's so interesting and
people don't understand the v when you send it to
like people that have. But it's I made so many
of my friends believe in Chicono culture after watch Blood
and Blood out with me.
Speaker 2 (28:02):
That's right.
Speaker 1 (28:02):
I'm telling you that's right. Seriously, looks forever. All my
friends are white, and I say, hey, little mclue.
Speaker 4 (28:14):
Right, thunder Rosa, thank you so much for your time.
We appreciate congratulations. Keep going.
Speaker 2 (28:19):
We have your back even though you don't need it.
You can beat up anyone.
Speaker 3 (28:23):
No, I mean I need I need the thunder Army
to get bigger. So thank you for the space and army.
Speaker 2 (28:28):
Let's go.
Speaker 1 (28:28):
Yeah this. I know this is not gonna first or
the last interview that we have.
Speaker 4 (28:32):
Of course, not come by any time. Thank you anytime,
mel seriously, anytime you want to stop by.
Speaker 2 (28:36):
We're here for you.
Speaker 1 (28:37):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (28:37):
Let's get it, thunder Rosa. The Cruise Show Real ninety two.
Speaker 1 (28:40):
To three pay checking Rich for the Cruise Show.
Speaker 5 (28:43):
Thanks for listening to The Cruise Show podcast. Make sure
to subscribe, and hey, auto download so you don't miss
an episode.
It was good. Boy d what what's good?
Speaker 2 (00:03):
Everybody?
Speaker 1 (00:03):
This is what's good?
Speaker 3 (00:05):
This glove really and you're checking out the Cruise Show podcast.
Speaker 1 (00:08):
Make sure to subscribe. Rate sure, Liz go go.
Speaker 4 (00:12):
All right, ladies and gentlemen, I met, I met, I.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Is here thunder Rosa. Let's go.
Speaker 3 (00:18):
Thank you for having me. This is really exciting. I
have some friends in iHeart Radio in San Diego. So
here yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Yea, yeah, Hey what up? There you go? I see you, yo.
So you are prepared, you come prepared?
Speaker 1 (00:31):
Look at you?
Speaker 2 (00:32):
You look great?
Speaker 1 (00:32):
Well yeah, I have to come and gimmick. Man. It's
like having a mask and just coming without a mask.
Speaker 5 (00:37):
You.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
I can't do that.
Speaker 4 (00:39):
No, no, no, no, no no, which means you know you
have a There's a level of commitment I believe that
you have from watching your performances and hearing about your
story and doing a lot of research on you, your love,
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
Commitment is crazy.
Speaker 3 (00:52):
I appreciate you because you know, you know how many
times I've been in interviews and they don't know, so
tell me about you. I'm like, bro, aren't you supposed
to do it? Like research?
Speaker 4 (01:02):
Like now you know they don't know when they're like, Hi,
I'm here with and you have to introduce yours.
Speaker 1 (01:07):
I know that I do it a lot though.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
That's okay.
Speaker 4 (01:09):
That's at least they're trying and they and they're interested, right, yes,
and you're very gracious with your time.
Speaker 1 (01:14):
No, no, no, it's my pleasure. I love LA.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
I was here for the paper view that happened yesterday
when I just went to see my friends because I
wasn't booked.
Speaker 1 (01:23):
Sorry, I wasn't. I feel sorry for you guys because you.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
Don't get to see me in my you know, and
my glamorous self out there.
Speaker 1 (01:29):
But it was sold out.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
It was revolution and there was one thing I love
I Before I went there, I was at the hospital
with someone and I saw a video of someone with
a sign that says tortas for and and I was like,
I have to go there.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
I have to get that sign.
Speaker 3 (01:44):
I have to get it signed by Andre, take that
picture with Andrede and then give.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
It to the fan.
Speaker 3 (01:48):
So as I was walking, you know, I like to
do this when I'm not booked in shows, so I
just like to rile the fans up. So I'm like
walking with and everybody saying some matches going I'm like,
I'm so disrespectful.
Speaker 1 (02:01):
I'm sorry for my friends.
Speaker 3 (02:03):
But anyways, that we got to sign and the fan,
I don't think he recognized me, and the mom wo
knew who I was. It's like, you know that's thunder Rosa, right,
and I'm like, yeah, you're welcome. So I signed and
I sign it and then I signed on the back
of the sign You're welcome aka thund Rosa.
Speaker 1 (02:17):
I love doing that for the fans. I was a
fan myself.
Speaker 4 (02:19):
You know, No, that's right, you were right. You came
into the game. I guess some would say later or
later than some. I guess right at twenty seven years old.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
Was twenty seven?
Speaker 4 (02:27):
Yeah, yeah, you started and you you know, you changed
your life. You were a social worker, yes, from Berkeley,
and I don't know something told you that you need
a change and you need to follow this dream or
something that kept nagging at you.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
Right.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
Well, you know the fact that I was not able
to do sports when I was younger because of my
socio economics. I grew up in Tijuana and there was
four girls. We didn't have a lot of money. So
the options was either I go and do soccer and
have no money and maybe like I have to like
sacrifice school or I put my butt work and support
(03:02):
my family. So I've been working since I was fourteen.
So when I came to America, I had the opportunity
to do stuff. But everything was through academics because I
was so like gun hold that if I get my degree,
I will get out of poverty. And honestly, that was
like the best decision that I ever made, like.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
I got I get your education.
Speaker 3 (03:20):
Yes, And but this country at the time, I'm telling you,
like twenty five years ago, there were so many things
set up for people like us, like people of color,
people that were like, you know, I myself poor, Like
I lived in and we've been room apartment with seven people. Yeah,
my parents sleep in the living room and like I
sleep with we rented people didn't know right, No, Yeah,
(03:44):
it was my mom's friend like with her daughter, and
I saw my sister and I we had a bunk bed,
so we sleep in in the single bed and then
the lady slept on the bottom bed with her daughter.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
You know.
Speaker 1 (03:54):
So it was rough. It was really rough.
Speaker 3 (03:56):
So but the stuff that were set up for us
during that time, it allowed me to go to UC
came to UCLA for a week and saw how it
is to live on campus, and then with UH with
community college, how it was designed. Back then there was
a lot of resources. I was able to visit Ucy
Berkeley and and then at the time my ex husband
(04:16):
he was like, I think you should go to Usiberkle
if you're gonna choose the school.
Speaker 4 (04:19):
So a dorm must have seemed like a mansion when
you saw it, well it was.
Speaker 1 (04:24):
It was if people complain about it, I was.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
Like, you, I could deal with this.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
I never had my own room, right, you know, I was,
so I wouldn't mind if I had like a roommate,
Like I was like, oh, but this is my bed.
I never had a real like maybe I did have
a bed, but not really. I got to share with
my little sisters, So I never really had like my
own bed, like things that people are used to or
might be used to. I wasn't used to it, like
having your own stuff and your own room and your
(04:47):
own space. There was nothing like that, right, And that's
something a lot of immigrants understand, like when you come here,
can you oc curse in Spanish?
Speaker 1 (04:59):
So it was really rough for me.
Speaker 3 (05:01):
So it just imagined it was like I always wanted
to do something cool, and I was very I was
very athletic, and I had to learn everything in college,
like playing basketball, volleyball, learning how to swim.
Speaker 1 (05:14):
I didn't know how to swim.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
Yeah, I still know.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
We do classes. I learned how to kayak, like all
these things.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
Like we took advantage of everything absolutely.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
Yeah, but it was through school.
Speaker 3 (05:26):
So just imagine that, like education like opened the doors
for everything. And then once I was done, I was
kind of lost, and I was about to, like I
was about to like apply for my master's degree, and
I had my paperwork already ready to be submitted. And
then wrestling happened. And then my ex was like, maybe
you should try it. Like we got the money, now,
we got all this, we got all the roommates in
(05:47):
our apartment because we still live in Oakland. You can
do it.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
I al support you.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
And then and I jumped in and did it and
fell in love with it, and it was like the
most addicting thing I ever done.
Speaker 2 (05:57):
WOA, So did you you didn't grow up necessarily? Were
you a fan of it?
Speaker 3 (06:02):
And growing up in Tijuana, I was fan of whoever
was and the noilas of course.
Speaker 1 (06:08):
Like stuff like that.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
I mean, I knew about Remy Steady and everything because
he's so he's so iconic, right, But I didn't really
watch wrestling growing up until I didn't start watching wrestling
that I was in my twenties. It was like, I
remember bringing people to my house to watch on the
pay per views, and then I watched TNA and Not
Because Division at the time, which was like hot, and
I was like, these ladies can go. Because of what
I used to watch on w W. It was not
(06:31):
of my interest.
Speaker 1 (06:33):
Yeah, I remember.
Speaker 3 (06:34):
Watching some of the like brass and Panties and my
friend was like, Melissa, don't ever do that. We're going
to watch really bad women's wrestling. But it was what
it was at the time, right, Yeah, And I just
and I saw my friend. I was like, remember when
you make me watch like really bad wrestling. He's like, yeah,
well I don't have to do that now we're iconic.
Speaker 1 (06:51):
So yeah, I'm not.
Speaker 3 (06:53):
I wasn't a fan, but uh, you know, life changes
you and and you start getting all their tastes for things.
So I went to Wrestle many twenty five in Houston,
and that really changed a lot of things. There was
a lot of people in that arena that became part
of my life later on in life.
Speaker 1 (07:09):
So it's just like it's a full circle. You met
your world there right, Yes, yes, yes, yes, yeah?
Speaker 2 (07:14):
Did ww HW Are you to be a referee at one? No?
Speaker 3 (07:17):
They in twenty nineteen, they call me and they were like,
are you ready to hang up the boots?
Speaker 1 (07:24):
And I was like, well, you know, I needed money.
Speaker 3 (07:25):
So I was like, I needed steady money because, brother,
being an independent professional wrestler is when you're talking about
a hustle, it's a hustle. I had a job when
I was in the Bay Area, but when I decided
to do wrestling full time, I was depending on my
ex husband in like my hustle, and I was hustling
all the time, and I was tired, like hustling up
(07:47):
after like seven years, You're like, man, I need I
need a job or like somethings to happen, so stability, yes,
And they offered me like sixty thousand dollars a year,
which at the time it was like all right, yeah,
it's better than when I was making right and there
was a hurricane that happened, and then they just keep
like pushing my tryout and then never happened. But it
(08:11):
was meant to be that way, and that's when I
made the decision to jump into MMA because they offered
me a three thousand dollar contract.
Speaker 1 (08:18):
And I was like, bro, it's a lot of money. No,
it's not.
Speaker 3 (08:20):
When you have to do MMA and everything that comes
with being an MMA fighter is super expensive.
Speaker 4 (08:25):
But at the time, everything costs, yes, time and everything.
Speaker 3 (08:29):
And bear in mind, the whole entire time I was
doing MMA, which was I trained for six months to
go into this fight, professional fight. I never had a
you know, undercar like nothing. I went professional right away.
I was wrestling to make money to pay for my account,
so I was so banged up the whole entire time.
I never had time to rest before my fight. I
(08:49):
think I rested like two weeks before because I was like, Okay,
I I gotta focus.
Speaker 1 (08:52):
Now because I'm gonna get hurt.
Speaker 3 (08:54):
And it was one of the toughest things I've ever
done in my life. But once I hit the the cage,
like and they close the cage, when I feel closer
to God, because I was like, I can die right now.
Speaker 1 (09:07):
Things bat.
Speaker 3 (09:08):
But I also I was like, there's nothing nobody can
tell me that I can do because I jump into
M M A at thirty three with no business to
be there.
Speaker 1 (09:17):
With no business, I was a white belt.
Speaker 3 (09:20):
I was a white belt. I learned how to like kickbox,
I learned how to box. I learned how to do
all these things.
Speaker 2 (09:24):
So was it like, did it feel like you were
too early and too late at the same time?
Speaker 1 (09:27):
Yes, yes, and no, yes and no. I just I
just looked with you know, I was like yeah.
Speaker 3 (09:33):
And then I this is way before I became like
famous for the lights out match in AW so I
had more respect on like bleeding. I have a cut
in my forehead because I got elbow in the second round.
Speaker 1 (09:47):
You I did and I did not.
Speaker 3 (09:51):
I did, but I did because it just like it
reminded me that I am. I'm a badass, like through
and through, and I was a draw to. There was
like thunder section all in the front, like we were
able to sell tickets. It was at the coliseum in
San Antonio where I won my championship and yeh on
three sixteen, which today is thund Rolls a Day, by
the way, and in Bear County in San Antonio.
Speaker 1 (10:11):
It was a proclamation. A couple of years ago.
Speaker 3 (10:13):
So it was everything that has happened in my life
in the last I don't know, ten fifteen years. It
was meant to happen when I told you, with that
WrestleMania and the people that were in that WrestleMania. My
friends that are like my sisters and my brothers now
they were there too. So it's just like the world
works in the very everything. Yes, yes, I'm for moments.
Speaker 2 (10:33):
Yes, that's amazing. You know Jackie, I think didn't we
have you set up to do some wrestling.
Speaker 5 (10:40):
Yeah, we were going to try it.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
We were going to try but what happened there was
it a legal thing? I think it was a legal thingy.
Speaker 4 (10:47):
They were like, I don't know if you could get hurt,
and I'm like, I'm a pro man.
Speaker 2 (10:50):
Let's go to Tijuana. Man, there's no fucking legal there.
Speaker 3 (10:53):
Yes, yes, you can be doing wrestling at a like
stop lifestop. The little kids are doing like little wrestling stuff. Yeah,
they're really good.
Speaker 1 (11:04):
What in the street, Yeah, bro, you can't have a show.
Speaker 2 (11:08):
Right, like you know how You're like, yeah, kids are
are probably yeah, yeah.
Speaker 5 (11:13):
Yeah, there's kids that are creating a whole wrestling match.
Speaker 2 (11:16):
God bless them.
Speaker 1 (11:17):
There's reel stuff that real stuff right there.
Speaker 2 (11:20):
Yes, those kids are the kids that should make it.
Speaker 1 (11:23):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (11:23):
Well that's what I'm saying is like when you wanted,
like even if it's in the street, that's I mean
a lot of people started in backyard wrestling, yeah, and
they're big, big time, no.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
Big time big.
Speaker 4 (11:32):
A lot of you know, old school wrestlers did it
that way wrestling, you know, backyard and then traveling and
fighting in random cities and auditoriums and you know, basements
and you know, just putting on a show for ten people,
fifteen people, whatever it takes, right.
Speaker 3 (11:47):
Yes, we all been there. I remember wrestling in Texas
and had a banger match with Hollydad and my one
of my best friends in front of like ten people
and there was like no bottom rope.
Speaker 2 (12:00):
Yeah yo, so you could like slide right off right.
Speaker 3 (12:03):
There's a couple like really dark videos in the web.
Like there's so many things like I look back, I mean,
this is my thirteen it's gonna be my thirteen year wrestling,
and there's so many things that I'm like, man, like
I can't believe I did that.
Speaker 1 (12:17):
I can't believe we put yourself to that. Situation. But
this is part of the hustle.
Speaker 2 (12:20):
This is part of the hustle.
Speaker 5 (12:21):
Are s looking back, like, you know, this is your
thirteen year wrestling. You've gone through like a quite a
bit of name changes. Is this the final one?
Speaker 3 (12:28):
It's been the final one. It's just people didn't give
me a chance. M It's like, hey, put a mask on.
Your name is Serpentine, your name is gonna. Because I
was in luc Underground, they call me Cobra Moon, which,
by the way, I love luc Underground. Then it was
I worked for a while and there and then they
wanted me to do what's it Astek Oh my god,
Astika and I had a mask and we did all this,
(12:51):
like we did all this like promo stuff and whatever.
And then they didn't get approved because I was still
on early ground, so I have to be Caramoon, So
that got scratched. And then and then after I did
the first season with While, they switch it because Lund
went on another direction. And then we did Serpentine. Oh
(13:14):
my god, that was I was so wild. They let
me write my own stuff. I watched it and I'm like,
I'm on drugs. No. It was just so funny, like
because I was just saying, like the most ridiculous ship.
Oh yeah, I grew up in a cave and my
parents were ship.
Speaker 1 (13:31):
I was just like you to create a story, well yeah, but.
Speaker 3 (13:35):
It was like if you listen to it, you're like
you'll start like Melissa, what the fuck is wrong with you?
Speaker 1 (13:39):
And I was just I was just having fun.
Speaker 3 (13:41):
And then the matches were fun, and it was just
it was not me. It was just I was using
the same movies as Dona Rosa. And then when I
went to n WA National Wrestling Alliance, one of the
oldest promotions in the United States, they allowed me to
be myself and this is right in between me DO
and MMA and everything, and that's when I had my
(14:03):
first like breakthrough in wrestling where I became a champion
and I was a first Mexican born wrestler in the
history of this company, which is like at the time
was like what seventy years that they had a Mexican
wrestler as a champion, which is big, like huge, huge,
and now more than before.
Speaker 1 (14:20):
I don't brag about it.
Speaker 3 (14:21):
I just celebrate that that happened to me, because how
many times do we do things and we don't celebrate it,
because it's like.
Speaker 2 (14:28):
We're just moving on to the next exactly.
Speaker 3 (14:30):
And now I'm like, no, I'm gonna celebrate it. I'm
gonna tell people like, this happened to me.
Speaker 1 (14:33):
I earned this right. And it just makes me want
to cry because it's been it's been a really rough time.
It's been for a.
Speaker 3 (14:43):
Latino woman because you see that you see the homies.
I see my homies, and I'm so happy for them, right,
the guys. But us, man, we have to break so
many lastly leans all the time.
Speaker 1 (14:52):
And even then when you're there and it's like it
just goes away so fast and you're just.
Speaker 5 (14:57):
Like and then you're expected to keep it as well.
Speaker 3 (14:59):
Yes, and and it's just so hard because there's younger
people coming in and then and it's like prettier people
coming in and it's.
Speaker 1 (15:06):
Like, oh my god.
Speaker 3 (15:07):
But you're just still like grinding and like you've got
to celebrate everything that you do and everything you earn.
Speaker 4 (15:12):
Yeah, and everything you've been through and all the work
that you've done. Those are receipts, right, that's those are
receipts that that actually happened. Yeah, and all of that
that all of your experience I believe will carry you
through and will not allow you to be forgotten or
mistreated or even pushed to the side for someone someone else, right,
(15:35):
because you've done the work.
Speaker 3 (15:36):
And not only that, it is like like the legacy
that you leave, because it's not about just carrying that
title like the first one it was, it's leaving the legacy.
And the legacy for me always been like leaving the
place better than when I got there and creating spaces
for them. I had Mission Pro Wrestling, which was based
for women, and it was run by women, and we
(15:58):
created so many memories and we help some any women,
and like I have so many people text me now
that's like, hey, are you still running in I'm like,
I don't because you know, financially, I couldn't do it
anymore because it's it's a lot of sacrifice when you
are an advocate for women or for anything right, and
it can be taxing. And I advocate so hard for
women in general and in professional wrestling and even outside
(16:20):
professional wrestling. And one of the things that I do
is a lot of speaking engagements in Mexico and San
Diego and Monterrey and San Antonio about empowering young women
or young girls to have access to safe and adequate
education in math and science and all the other aspects
that we still are having so many issues to get
(16:42):
in and to be respected, right, and.
Speaker 1 (16:46):
Also like that we deserve to be and.
Speaker 3 (16:50):
Have a safe environment, you know, like other things that
are happening and at the borders and in Mexico like
this eight m Like people are outcrying because there's so
many women that have disappeared throughout the years. There's hundreds
and thousands of women that have disappeared throughout the years,
and nobody knows where they are.
Speaker 1 (17:07):
And it's just.
Speaker 3 (17:08):
Sad that my little sister, my little sister can go
outside at night because she can get taken away and
we will never see her again.
Speaker 1 (17:16):
It is rough, it's rough.
Speaker 2 (17:18):
It's not easy.
Speaker 1 (17:19):
Nope, they don't know.
Speaker 4 (17:20):
And you know, going back to being not easy for women,
you know in general, let alone in wrestling, right and
in sports and a male dominated sport.
Speaker 2 (17:30):
Right, is that fair to say?
Speaker 1 (17:31):
Yes?
Speaker 2 (17:31):
Yeah, and it still is exactly.
Speaker 4 (17:34):
And it's crazy how like you could be the first
woman to do something and meanwhile men have been doing
that for years and here comes a woman that does
it for the first time. You know, in today's world,
it's crazy, that's crazy.
Speaker 3 (17:46):
It is really crazy, but we have to make it
less crazy and more normal, right, And yes, things are
much better that they were before, but there's still a
lot of space for for us to be more main
event and to have more spaces on TV and on
(18:07):
radio and everywhere. Like I'm also a host for a
serious exam and I've been there for four years now
doing professional wrestling, and I'm the first Latina doing that
in there too.
Speaker 1 (18:19):
It's like it's it's rough man, No, it's not.
Speaker 3 (18:23):
And it's just staying and working on it and becoming
better so people respect you. I think it's all about respect,
and it's all about and not so much like how
are I work and how how I complaining? It's not
about complaining. It's like I'm showing you with my numbers
that I can do something, Like I need a bigger opportunity,
I need.
Speaker 1 (18:42):
A bigger push.
Speaker 3 (18:42):
What's up?
Speaker 1 (18:43):
Like what else do you want me to do?
Speaker 2 (18:45):
You know?
Speaker 1 (18:46):
No, I don't know if you feel that way.
Speaker 5 (18:47):
No, no, no, no, everything, Yeah, because I think there's just
so many yeah, like we've made so much progress too,
But at the same time, like you said there's still
more to be done. Yes, and there's still more that
we can from you, you know, And I feel like
that's that is what's gonna make this next generation, this
new wave of whatever women want to do is just
(19:09):
going to excel in it.
Speaker 3 (19:10):
Yes, and we needed more than ever I feel here
in America, like if you are in a position and
where you can use your platform to not only make
people feel comfortable and feel loved and feel like seen,
I think a lot of the things feeling seen right
and advocate for it, like be someone you don't necessarily
have to be and say this, if that, but just
(19:32):
like show how you can make an example of what's
happening in a way people anyone can feel comfortable saying
I think she's right. I mean, although my politics are different,
but I think she's right. You know, people are being
mistreated this way or that way. Because when I just
came back was an oceanside. I decided to keep my
(19:55):
brown hair where tensas where ribbons and be myself.
Speaker 1 (20:01):
I'm not gonna dye my hair blan.
Speaker 3 (20:03):
I'm not gonna try to be white because I'm not white,
and society is never gonna see me as a Caucasian person.
I'm Mexicana. I'm Mexican American.
Speaker 2 (20:13):
Who's gonna keep it that way? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (20:14):
And I'm now being here for twenty plus years, i
feel like a Chicana.
Speaker 1 (20:18):
That's right right at Hanah.
Speaker 3 (20:21):
I'm like, I live in Texas now, so it's like
different cultures within within one country. So it's like, I'm
gonna show this. I'm gonna come out with something that
says there's you can't I can't take that away.
Speaker 2 (20:33):
From who I am now. Yeah, I strip that away
from me, and I'm not gonna strip it off myself.
Speaker 3 (20:37):
And let me tell you, Like though some of the
comments that I got, I got would run really nasty
comment and I had to actually make a statement because
I want people to understand that it's not okay as
a fan. As as a fan, it's not okay for
you to attack somebody because of their origin or because
of who they are, right, and and that it went
viral and and people were like texting me and their
(20:58):
their support and were texting that they couldn't believe that
that they feel that way. Because I'm very proud of
being Mexican, but I'm also being proud of getting.
Speaker 1 (21:07):
My citizenship, Like it was huge. It was a huge step.
Speaker 3 (21:11):
How many people have tried and have died at the
border trying to just live the American dream man, right,
Like I came here for the American dream, for the education,
for you know, the papers, for a house. Like I'm
the first one in my family to not only graduate
from college, but to like have own house.
Speaker 1 (21:27):
It's a big deal. It's a huge deal, and.
Speaker 2 (21:30):
It inspires generations in your family.
Speaker 3 (21:32):
Doesn't Yes, Like my little cousin, I have a lot
of femal little cousins and they buy my figures and
stuff and I'm like, oh.
Speaker 1 (21:40):
My yead Rose life is gonna be entity.
Speaker 3 (21:42):
And then they take pictures and they go and do
presentations in their class about their tea and like how
how why she is so important in her world and
also in society, right, Yeah, And you don't see like
the work that sometimes I'm so caught up on, like,
oh my.
Speaker 1 (21:57):
God, I'm not on TV. Oh my god.
Speaker 3 (21:58):
My numbers was a little like what's going on with
the algorithm? It is like, no, what's going on with
the algorithm? Is like one little girl in I don't know, Poughkeepski,
New York, that is Latina Sami on TV and now
she's doing a presentation in their school talking about you know.
Speaker 1 (22:14):
Donde Rosa.
Speaker 2 (22:16):
That's that's what it's about. Aw is your home, Yes,
that is? You know that. That's It's a very special place.
Speaker 1 (22:23):
It's a very interesting place.
Speaker 2 (22:24):
It's an interesting place, very interesting. Fair fair, fair fair.
Why is it so.
Speaker 3 (22:29):
Interesting because it was for the longest we were the alternative.
We're no longer an alternative. We're here. We're here for
We've been here for six years and the stuff that
we have been able to accomplish, and I am very
proud and I've always been very proud of this. I
was part of, like one of the biggest changes in
mainstream wrestling was having one of the most compelling and
(22:52):
brutal matches that people in mainstream media have seen. And
this happened during the pandemic in front of no people,
our peers. It was a lights out match. It was
between brid Baker, Doctor brid Baker, and me and we
won the match of the year and during that year,
which is a huge deal for professional wrestlers, and it
(23:15):
was the first time that they saw two women bleed
on TV and we had an extreme match there was
a ladder's chairs, thumb tacks.
Speaker 1 (23:23):
Name it it was.
Speaker 3 (23:25):
It was brutal. And I remember the time that that happened.
I wasn't even signed for the company. I was working
for n w A, so I was alone, alone person there.
So I remember brid was telling me like, we don't
make sure that this like goes great and and and
we don't mess up or whatever she said something else,
and I'm just thinking, like, girl, I know you're doing
it for you know, the cloud. I'm doing it because
(23:46):
like people don't understand that this is not only going
to change my life, but this is going to change
a lot of like morenitas and brown people's life, like
because we.
Speaker 1 (23:55):
Don't and not only that, like.
Speaker 3 (23:59):
I mean, I can talk about this forever, Like I
that how they pay us is different than they pay
some other people as women, as women of color too.
So at the time, like I wasn't working with them,
and they took care of me. But I knew that
this was going to be a big deal. It's going
to change my life, my finance, my finances and possibly
like the finance for the women like me. But it's
(24:22):
like you have to eat, you know, crow for other
people to like not eat crow. So it was like
that was in my mind. I was like, I cannot
mess up on this one because if I do, We're
never going to get this opportunity again.
Speaker 2 (24:34):
That's a lot.
Speaker 4 (24:34):
That's a lot on your shoulders. Yeah, it's a lot
to think About's a lot. That's a lot to have
on your mind going into it too.
Speaker 3 (24:39):
Oh yeah, I'm a sociology by heart, of course, so
I'm like, there you are the socioeconomic problems here in America,
you know, and with women of color.
Speaker 1 (24:48):
Now I was I'm dude.
Speaker 3 (24:50):
I used to like go out and like protest all
the time in the Bay Area, like even with we
did a lot of student walkouts the time that I
was there because they were racing fees for everything and
just accessibility to education.
Speaker 2 (25:04):
That was fighting just in another way.
Speaker 3 (25:07):
That and then like fighting for my clients, like my
my I just I love this because my one of
my bosses used to call me Melissa the dog right
because it's like it's not a parade. My friend, my
best friend used to tell me it is. Now like
we caught a promo on my on the last time
that I was on TV, and then uh, they called
me they called me right, and they thought I was
(25:29):
gonna take it like that's a bad thing. I was like, no,
so a mass true, like this has always been my life,
Like I have to like literally fight for everything. I
feel like a bulld like not a bulldog.
Speaker 4 (25:41):
Like you've had to fight every time, every time you've
had to fight for space on a bed.
Speaker 3 (25:46):
Right now you put it in perspective, yes, sir, that's
where it started.
Speaker 1 (25:50):
Damn No.
Speaker 3 (25:51):
I started from the womb. My mom said I had
like I started from the womb. Bro My mom started
like she said, I had umbilical court, and I was
she almos died, was finding for my life from the
moment I before, I was bless you.
Speaker 2 (26:05):
That's crazy.
Speaker 1 (26:06):
And then I fought for the bed.
Speaker 2 (26:08):
That's right, and a new trap queen champion. Yes, that's crazy.
I was like amazing.
Speaker 3 (26:14):
Yeah, and it's so funny because like my friend Jeff
Ravigno who runs Texas Wrestling Cartel. Yeah, he's the first
one who brought me to Corpus Christi, which is one
of my favorite places. Case Alina, that's right, and man,
I had about sixty fans from Mission Pro Wrestling that
came and got there on time because there was so
much traffic because of southwest southwest.
Speaker 1 (26:35):
And there was this little kid.
Speaker 3 (26:36):
Where he's not a little kid, he's eleven years old.
When I met him, he was two and at three
and he was like this big and he's like I'm
coldon remember me, and I'm like crying. I'm like, come
over here. It's beautiful to see that people are so.
Speaker 1 (26:51):
Loyal to you.
Speaker 3 (26:52):
Oh.
Speaker 2 (26:53):
Yes, wrestling fans are.
Speaker 1 (26:54):
Loyal, especially if you treat them right.
Speaker 2 (26:56):
That's right.
Speaker 1 (26:57):
I treat them like my friends.
Speaker 3 (26:58):
Like yesterday, I was like high flogging everybody, taking pictures
with everybody, hugging everybody because it's beautiful. It's like to
see to hear them say my name and there's a
match going on.
Speaker 1 (27:09):
It's wild. It's wild.
Speaker 4 (27:11):
That's amazing. It's almost like I made it moment right.
It does feel that way.
Speaker 1 (27:14):
I mean I can still make it more, yeah, more
and more bigger.
Speaker 4 (27:18):
Of course I've never done growing right, No, and shout
out the foods done wild. I know you want to
collabor with for Lao foods.
Speaker 2 (27:28):
I love.
Speaker 3 (27:30):
Yes, I've seen you. I've seen you in person, but
I was too shy to say hi. And I follow
your stuff I sent it to all my friends and
the down Low and the d MS to make them
laugh and yeah, I know they love it.
Speaker 1 (27:43):
Yes, I love it.
Speaker 3 (27:44):
It's it's I think, like what we have as a Chicano,
like Chicanos in the Chicano culture. It's so interesting and
people don't understand the v when you send it to
like people that have. But it's I made so many
of my friends believe in Chicono culture after watch Blood
and Blood out with me.
Speaker 2 (28:02):
That's right.
Speaker 1 (28:02):
I'm telling you that's right. Seriously, looks forever. All my
friends are white, and I say, hey, little mclue.
Speaker 4 (28:14):
Right, thunder Rosa, thank you so much for your time.
We appreciate congratulations. Keep going.
Speaker 2 (28:19):
We have your back even though you don't need it.
You can beat up anyone.
Speaker 3 (28:23):
No, I mean I need I need the thunder Army
to get bigger. So thank you for the space and army.
Speaker 2 (28:28):
Let's go.
Speaker 1 (28:28):
Yeah this. I know this is not gonna first or
the last interview that we have.
Speaker 4 (28:32):
Of course, not come by any time. Thank you anytime,
mel seriously, anytime you want to stop by.
Speaker 2 (28:36):
We're here for you.
Speaker 1 (28:37):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (28:37):
Let's get it, thunder Rosa. The Cruise Show Real ninety two.
Speaker 1 (28:40):
To three pay checking Rich for the Cruise Show.
Speaker 5 (28:43):
Thanks for listening to The Cruise Show podcast. Make sure
to subscribe, and hey, auto download so you don't miss
an episode.
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