Magazine Archive: The Thunder Rosa Wave Has Taken Over the Wrestling World - What’s Next for Her?

by Emily Heller for FightfulMag.com Issue 4

“Welcome to Mission Pro! You see what we’re putting to action here, we’re tired of what it was like before. We’re not five-minute matches. We’re all here for this. We’re here to inspire each other. We’re here to lift each other up. This show is for you, this is not for me. This show is to showcase who you are and what you can do. We’re a family here. Let’s do this.”

At every Mission Pro Wrestling show, Thunder Rosa’s voice is passionate and resilient in the locker room as the current stars of wrestling, the veterans and those just starting out, surround her and listen to every word. Her inspirational speech echoes and resounds about what it means to be standing there. The weight of the industry, the weight of the future of professional wrestling and the importance of what Mission Pro is doing for women in the industry is palpable. We all feel it, and we all know that it’s just the beginning.

“We’re the alternative to your typical women’s show. We are the embodiment of what a group of women can do. We’re writing our own stories, we’re booking the show, we often set everything up ourselves. It’s a different way in which we’re holding each other accountable. We’ve done a pretty good job from the youngest to the most veteran person to hold each other accountable. It’s a safe space to showcase our talent and show the world what we can do. We’re doing something completely different that hasn’t been done before from the ground up and we’re opening doors.”

Throughout this past year, Rosa has beaten the odds on many levels especially during a difficult pandemic year that crippled the wrestling industry for small independent promotions. A year ago, the Speaking Out movement addressed sexual abuse and discrimination allegations across the wrestling industry and Rosa wanted to help the women who have been affected. She and her husband, Brian Cervantes, decided to transition their Mission Pro Wrestling promotion into a 99% female-led and produced wrestling show that showcased female stars. This was an opportunity for them to take a stand for the marginalized voices in the industry.

Rosa’s journey is an inspiring one, beginning over seven years ago where in that time she has transcended promotion after promotion including the NWA, Impact, Ring of Honor, SHINE, Shimmer, WOW, various other companies across the independent circuit, and internationally at Tokyo Joshi Pro.  And now she has found her new television home at All Elite Wrestling.

From growing up in Tijuana, Mexico to attending college in the United States, becoming a naturalized citizen in 2019, mastering MMA (mixed martial arts) matches and a tight grappling style to becoming one of the hottest rising stars in the wrestling world, Rosa has surpassed the odds and made history with multiple promotions the last few years.

She was the first-ever Mexican born woman to hold the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) Women’s World Championship title for almost ten months in one of the most devastating years for fans and the world. She was the first non-Japanese woman to win the Tokyo Joshi Pro International Princess Championships in 2019.

Earlier this year, she descended onto IMPACT’s stage again for Slammiversary to confront Impact Knockouts Women’s Champion Deonna Purrazzo for the women’s title taking the slot of the mystery opponent surprising fans around the world.

“This past year, I wasn’t even thinking about the other companies. I was thinking about my next opponent, and I was taking things seriously, and I think I brought such a different vibe to the game that that’s why people are talking about it. You can have a match with anyone, and they say it’s a great match, but they see the fire, they see the intensity, you take every single match, especially if it’s a championship match as if it’s your last match and people see how much you’re giving to that, it’s really cool because I’m creating a legacy for myself.”

Her tenacious fighting style grounded in MMA grappling through her extensive training leads to dynamic match-ups in the ring. Many fans and industry professionals consider the Unsanctioned Lights Out Match against AEW Women’s ChampionBritt Bakeras one of the most brutal, hardcore violent and devastating matches in professional wrestling history. This match was the accumulation of months of storytelling, social media posts and promos, and the growth of this feud dominated conversations.  Perhaps that will continue now that Thunder Rosa is All Elite.

This match was a historic and groundbreaking battle in which both women were able to showcase their abilities in the ring, elevate the importance of that moment in the ring, and get eyes on the women’s division at AEW in a whole new way.

After the match, Rosa posted on Twitter, “My goal in life has always been to champion things for those women who don’t belong, who are ostracized and criticized, for those who are push [sic] aside and not taken serious [sic]. This win was bigger than me. It was for you! Never allowed [sic] anyone to tell you don’t belong…”

Thunder Rosa uses her extensive background in social work to help others in and outside of the ring. Rosa’s passion for helping individuals and communities and giving back has always been important to her. She’s now a part of the AEW’s Community Outreach initiatives involving various AEW stars including the World’s Strongest Man and WWE Hall of Famer, Mark Henry. As announced on their community page they are partnering with such organizations as the Boys & Girls Club, Wounded Warrior Project which helps raise funds for our veterans who are returning to civilian life, Safe Allianceto help raise awareness about domestic violence and sexual assault on a national scale, and other imperative initiatives that are affecting the communties at large. Rosa not only strives to change her community at AEW but also with Mission Pro Wrestling.

“It’s super important… the platform that we have as professional wrestlers, we can help bring awareness to what organizations need, fundraisers… that need just attention in general,” Rosa says. “We discussed a few years ago doing an underwear run and sock drive in San Antonio for different shelters and finding ways to empower people with positive self-body image but also just do something positive in the community and not just help one organization but as many as possible that can help men, women and kids. It’s all about sharing the love and blessings that you have. It’s so important to give more and more. With this work and Mission Pro, like I’ve always said, we are here to change the landscape of professional wrestling and I think we’re doing it little by little.”

Rosa is shaping the future of the industry for students just joining the business as she trains and teaches at the Dogg Pound Pro Wrestling Dojo in San Antonio alongside former WWE and NWA Women’s Champion Jazzand her husband, Rodney Mack.

As she thinks about the future, “I want to see Mission Pro Wrestling be a pipeline to larger companies. We want to be the company that you have to come to in order to get known before you get signed. We want to be one of the companies that can send talent to other countries. We also want to create opportunities in production... in the major companies there aren’t a lot of women in those positions who know those skills behind the scenes and we will in the next few years. I also want to be a trainer and run my own Dojo and start to scout women and my own talent to share my knowledge and guide them where they want to go.”

The crowds and ‘Thunder Army’ fans cheer her name as the lights and energy of the arena are palpable. Everyone feels it, everyone knows it. Thunder Rosa has arrived in her Día de los Muertos face paint, flowers in her hair and proudly wearing a Mexican- American flag around her shoulders to showcase where she’s from and where she is now. The world is watching and we can’t wait to see what happens next.

Emily Heller is an Emmy-nominated producer, who has hosted on Afterbuzz, among other places. She’s also appeared on United Wrestling Network and Mission Pro Wrestling, in addition to founding the Safe Wrestling Collective.

Twitter: @EmilyMaeHeller