While skilled wrestling is a staple of Thunder Rosa’s life now, it was once almost nonexistent. Speaking on “REAL 92.3 LA,” the previous AEW Women’s Champion noted that wrestling, other than recognizing lucha legend Rey Mysterio, didn’t enter her life until her 20s. And it wasn’t until WWE WrestleMania 25 in 2009 that the industry truly hooked her.
“I didn’t start watching wrestling until I used to be in my 20s,” Rosa said.” I remember bringing people to my house to look at a number of the pay-per-views. Then I watched TNA. The Knockouts division on the time was hot and I used to be like ‘These ladies can go!’ What I used to look at on WWE, it was not of my interest. I remember watching a number of the bra and panties [matches] and my friend was like ‘[Thunder], don’t ever try this.’ We watched really bad women’s wrestling, however it was what it was on the time.
“… I wasn’t a fan, but life changes you and also you start getting other tastes for things,” she continued. “So I went to WrestleMania 25 in Houston and that basically modified a variety of things. There was a variety of people in that arena that became a part of my life afterward in life, so it is a full circle.”
Emanating from Houston’s Reliant Stadium, WrestleMania 25 featured a principal event title match between Randy Orton and then-WWE Champion Triple H. Elsewhere, John Cena claimed the World Heavyweight Championship by beating the Big Show and Adam “Edge” Copeland, while Chris Jericho overcome three WWE legends in a handicap elimination match. Big Show (aka Paul Wight), Copeland, and Jericho all currently reside in All Elite Wrestling alongside Rosa, as does John Morrison, who competed in a Lumberjack match to unify WWE and World Tag Team Championships on the 2009 pay-per-view event.
If you happen to use any of the quotes in this text, please credit “REAL 92.3 LA” with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.