Tag: Valerie Loureda

Valerie Loureda, aka WWE’s Lola Vice, explains admiration for fellow crossover stars Ronda Rousey, Shayna Baszler

Valerie Loureda knew she wanted to make the transition from MMA to WWE one day, and found inspiration from a few fellow crossover athletes.

[autotag]Valerie Loureda[/autotag] was rapidly becoming a fan-favorite fighter, but always knew her path would eventually lead to a career in the WWE ring.

Loureda (4-1 MMA) debuted under the Bellator banner as a flyweight in 2019 and recorded a first-round knockout. Given her personality and her signature celebration, fans were immediately drawn to see “Master” compete.

Despite winning her first three pro fights and gaining popularity under one of the biggest promotions around, Loureda hoped she would grab the attention of the largest professional wrestling company. A few months after her last MMA fight in 2021, Loureda’s transition to become current NXT Superstar Lola Vice officially began.

“It’s actually been the hardest transition of my life,” Loureda told Under the Ring. “I’ve had to learn a lot, not just about the wrestling aspect, but socially at the (WWE) Performance Center. We have so many talented athletes from around the world, and it’s definitely very competitive.”

Loureda left her MMA career behind, walking away from the sport with her hand raised in a split decision victory. She hasn’t looked back since pro wrestling became a real possibility, and it shows as her character Lola Vice has quickly gained traction in the ring. Her real fighting skills have helped form the wrestler that steps through the ropes, giving her a unique style that differs from her peers.

“I’m grateful for my mixed martial arts background because it’s helped me be unique in this ring, and my moveset is very different than everyone else’s,” Loureda said. “I wrestle different than everyone else, and that’s what gives me the advantage in my fights.

“… The same effort and passion I put into MMA, I put into this, and I completely dove into it. I never missed anything. I went to everything extra. I was always willing to learn. I started from scratch, I started a brand from scratch, and I built Lola Vice to be what she is today. But also, every time I get in that ring, I try to be undeniable, and I’m just grateful that it got me to this point.”

Lola Vice competes at NXT Battleground on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. In an NXT Underground match, she faces one of two former fighters who helped inspire her transition to pro wrestling, UFC veteran Shayna Baszler. It’s a bit of a return to Loureda’s fighting roots, competing in the same arena where most UFC events occur today.

Baszler, a women’s MMA pioneer who began fighting in 2003 and fought twice in the UFC, began wrestling while still competing in MMA. She made her NXT debut in 2017, and has been going strong since.

Loureda was also inspired by Baszler’s good friend, Ronda Rousey, who made the transition from being one of the most popular fighters in the world to a WWE Superstar. Rousey dove into the deep end, debuting at WrestleMania 34. Loureda eventually hopes to reach those same heights, and have a long career as a pro wrestler.

“Shayna and Ronda are two people I looked up to a lot,” Loureda said. “You know, Ronda Rousey opened the doors for young women fighters like me to step foot in the cage, and Shayna was the first to make this crossover. When I was in MMA, I knew I wanted to be in the WWE one day, I just didn’t know when.

“So, when I got the call and I started studying, and I saw Shayna’s transition and Ronda’s transition, I admired them for the way they did it because people think, ‘Oh, you’re a fighter. You get in there and it’s easy.’ It’s actually the complete opposite. If it was easy, we would have a lot of MMA fighters in the WWE, but it’s an extremely hard transition. Only very special people can do it. So, I admire them for their hard work, but I know that I’m going to be best crossover in history of MMA to the WWE.”

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Video: Watch Bellator veteran Valerie Loureda’s debut as Lola Vice on NXT Level Up

Watch Bellator veteran Valerie Loureda make her pro wrestling debut on NXT Level Up debut as Lola Vice.

“Welcome to Vice City baby!”

Bellator veteran [autotag]Valerie Loureda[/autotag] is now known as Lola Vice inside the WWE universe.

Loureda, 24, fought all five of her professional MMA bouts under the Bellator banner, winning four. In June, Loureda announced her full-time move to the world of pro wrestling and has quickly worked her way up.

She can now be found competing on NXT sporting pink and blue ring gear, and executing a number of moves that lean into her background as a true martial artist. In her first match against Dani Palmer, Vice displayed a few flashy spinning kicks and slams, while mixing in a few primal yells and perhaps a new catchphrase. Both women were making their debut, but it would be Palmer who got the rollup pin for the victory.

The highlights of the match, which was taped on Tuesday and aired Friday on Peacock, were posted to WWE’s official YouTube channel, which you can watch above.

What do you think of Loureda’s skills inside the ring? Will Lola Vice become a star in WWE?

The Blue Corner is MMA Junkie’s blog space. We don’t take it overly serious, and neither should you. If you come complaining to us that something you read here is not hard-hitting news, expect to have the previous sentence repeated in ALL CAPS.

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Valerie Loureda, AKA Lola Vice, is making her WWE TV match debut this Friday

Curious to see what Valerie Loureda looks like in a WWE ring? You can soon find out.

Curious to see what [autotag]Valerie Loureda[/autotag] looks like in a WWE ring? You can soon find out.

After nearly a year of training at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Fla., Loureda, a former Bellator fighter, taped her first pro wrestling TV match Tuesday night. It will be featured on “NXT LVL UP” and stream this Friday at 10 p.m. ET on Peacock.

Loureda, who goes by Lola Vice in WWE, announced the news on Twitter and retweeted several accounts that provided a first look at her match.

While this was Loureda’s first match for TV, Fightful noted that it wasn’t her in-ring debut as her first match took place this past Nov. 12 at a non-televised house show, in which she’s continued to partake for WWE’s developmental brand NXT.

Loureda, 24, entered the MMA scene as a decorated taekwondo master. She made her professional debut with Bellator in February 2019 and went 4-1 before transitioning to pro wrestling. Loureda won a split decision over Taylor Turner in her most recent bout in November 2021 at Bellator 271.

This NXT (see what I did there?) chapter of her career should be interesting to watch.

Like pro wrestling? Be sure to visit Wrestling Junkie for all your coverage of WWE, AEW and more, and follow @WrestleJunkie on Twitter.

The Blue Corner is MMA Junkie’s blog space. We don’t take it overly serious, and neither should you. If you come complaining to us that something you read here is not hard-hitting news, expect to have the previous sentence repeated in ALL CAPS.

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Farewell, fighters: A list of former UFC champs and more MMA notables who retired in 2022

The MMA world said goodbye to more than 35 notable fighters in 2022, from former UFC champions to future UFC Hall of Famers and more.

MMA is a constantly evolving sport with a revolving door of athletes entering and exiting. Currently fighters from the era that helped make the sport so popular are beginning to trickle away from competition and hang up their gloves to move on to the next chapters in their lives.

If there’s one thing that’s well known about combat sports retirements, though, it’s that they often don’t last long. The urge to compete and, perhaps more importantly, get a payday will continue to drive fighters back, even well beyond their expiration dates.

In 2022, there was an uptick in notable fighters announcing they are retired, and we have a list of those who opted to walk away last year.

‘I am now a WWE Superstar’: Bellator’s Valerie Loureda confirms move to pro wrestling

Valerie Loureda is set to become the latest MMA fighter to take a shot at WWE stardom.

[autotag]Valerie Loureda[/autotag] is set to become the latest MMA fighter to take a shot at WWE stardom.

The 23-year-old Miami native appeared Wednesday on “The MMA Hour” to confirm she has signed with WWE and has been training at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Fla., to prepare to join the promotion full-time next month.

Fightful Select reported on June 1 that Loureda had taken part in a week-long tryout this spring and made a “great impression.” Loureda also hinted at career news on social media prior to her announcement, tweeting that “my life will never be the same.”

“I am now a WWE Superstar,” Loureda said, tearing up as she did so, discussing her difficult background and the journey it’s taken for her to get to this point.

“Yes,” Loureda said when asked if she was done with MMA. “My mind has completely shifted from MMA to the WWE, and all that passion and energy I have for MMA that I worked for five years, I’m now doing that in a training facility in Orlando. I love fighting, but this is my time”

Loureda’s background prior to starting her MMA career was in taekwando, earning a 4th dan black belt and a spot on the U.S. Olympic team. She signed with Bellator in 2018 and made her professional debut on February 2019 while training with a gym that’s had plenty of visibility in pro wrestling as of late, American Top Team.

All five of Loureda’s fights to date have come under the Bellator banner, where she’s gone 4-1. Her most recent bout, a split decision victory over Taylor Turner, came at Bellator 271 last November. She will remain under contract with Bellator should she change her mind and decide to return to MMA down the road.

“Valerie Loureda is a very young and talented athlete who can accomplish plenty in MMA for years to come, but for now we wish her the best of luck as she pursues her dream of becoming a WWE Superstar,” Bellator president Scott Coker said to MMA Junkie’s Nolan King when asked for comment. “She will remain an active and under-contract fighter with Bellator, and we look forward to welcoming her back into the cage in the near future. We take great pride in allowing our athletes to test themselves in additional arenas such as boxing and pro wrestling.”

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Given her inexperience in pro wrestling, WWE’s NXT brand will likely be the first place Loureda will appear if and when she makes it to TV. Another thing to watch will be whether WWE allows her to perform under her real name; Loureda already has a sizable following on Instagram and Twitter, but WWE has been increasingly insistent on marketing performers under stage names it can control.

However she’s announced when she makes her first walk to the ring during a live WWE event, Loureda figures to be a name whose progress will be tracked with interest by MMA fans, her social media followers, and now, pro wrestling fans as well.

Like pro wrestling? Be sure to visit Wrestling Junkie for all your coverage of WWE, AEW and more, and follow @WrestleJunkie on Twitter.

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MMA fighter Valerie Loureda (and Instagram sensation) confirms she has signed with WWE

MMA fighter Valerie Loureda told The MMA Hour on Wednesday that she has signed with WWE, and will join the promotion full-time in July.

Valerie Loureda is set to become the latest MMA fighter to take a shot at WWE stardom.

The 23-year-old Miami native appeared on The MMA Hour today to confirm she had signed with WWE, and has been training at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando to prepare to join the promotion full-time next month.

Fightful Select reported on June 1 that Loureda had taken part in a week-long tryout this spring and made a “great impression.” Loureda also hinted at career news yesterday on social media, tweeting that “my life will never be the same.”

“I am now a WWE Superstar,” Loureda said to host Ariel Helwani, tearing up as she did so, discussing her difficult background and the journey it’s taken for her to get to this point.

“Yes,” Loureda said when asked if she was done with MMA. “My mind has completely shifted from MMA to the WWE, and all that passion and energy I have for MMA that I worked for five years, I’m now doing that in a training facility in Orlando. I love fighting, but this is my time”

Loureda’s background prior to starting her MMA career was in taekwando, earning a 4th dan black belt and a spot on the U.S. Olympic team. She signed with Bellator in 2018 and made her professional debut on February 2019 while training with a gym that’s had plenty of visibility in pro wrestling as of late, American Top Team.

All five of Loureda’s fights to date have come under the Bellator banner, where she’s gone 4-1. Her most recent bout, a split decision victory over Taylor Turner, came at Bellator 271 last November. She will remain under contract with Bellator should she change her mind and decide to return to MMA down the road.

“Valerie Loureda is a very young and talented athlete who can accomplish plenty in MMA for years to come, but for now we wish her the best of luck as she pursues her dream of becoming a WWE Superstar,” Bellator president Scott Coker said in a press release. “She will remain an active and under-contract fighter with Bellator, and we look forward to welcoming her back into the cage in the near future. We take great pride in allowing our athletes to test themselves in additional arenas such as boxing and pro wrestling.”

Given her inexperience in pro wrestling, WWE’s NXT brand will likely be the first place Loureda will appear if and when she makes it to TV. Another thing to watch will be whether WWE allows her to perform under her real name; Loureda already has a sizable following on Instagram and Twitter, but WWE has been increasingly insistent on marketing performers under stage names it can control.

However she’s announced when she makes her first walk to the ring during a live WWE event, Loureda figures to be a name whose progress will be tracked with interest by MMA fans, her social media followers, and now, pro wrestling fans as well.

Bellator 271 post-event facts: Cris Cyborg leads Bellator champs in defenses

Check out all the facts and figures from Bellator 271, which took place Friday and saw Cris Cyborg defend her title in 92 seconds.

[autotag]Cris Cyborg[/autotag] continued her reign of terror on Friday with another dominant title defense against [autotag]Sinead Kavanagh[/autotag] in the Bellator 271 main event.

Cyborg (25-2 MMA, 4-0 BMMA) recorded her third consecutive defense when she stopped Kavanagh (7-5 MMA, 4-5 BMMA) by knockout just 92 seconds into the headliner, which took place at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla.

For more on the numbers, check below for 35 post-event facts to come out of Bellator 271.

Bellator 271 results: Valerie Loureda returns to win column, brings back dance celebration

Valerie Loureda was ecstatic to get back into the win column – and danced in celebration to show it.

[autotag]Valerie Loureda[/autotag] punched her ticket back into the win column at Bellator 271.

Entering a fight off a loss for the first time as a professional, Loureda (4-1 MMA, 4-1 BMMA) defeated [autotag]Taylor Turner[/autotag] (5-8 MMA, 1-2 BMMA) via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27) on the preliminary card.

Bellator 271 took place Friday at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. The main card aired on Showtime after prelims on MMA Junkie.

The fight took place in the striking department, largely from a distance. A lengthy flyweight fighter at 5-foot-10 with a 71-inch reach, Turner tried to utilize her height and length to her advantage.

However, Loureda’s movement became tricky for her slower opponent. She circled around her lengthy foe. She moved in and out with both brief striking attacks and combinations. Overall, the bout was slowly paced, but Loureda did what she needed to do to get her hand raised.

Upon the final bell’s sound, Loureda celebrated in vintage fashion. She showed off her dance moves both before the decision was read – and afterward. It was a close call as a dissenting judge sided with Turner, but the anticipatory drama gave her even more reason to break out in dance once more after her hand was raised.

With the win, Loureda bounces back from a unanimous decision loss against Hannah Guy. The defeat followed a 3-0 start to her career which included victories over Tara Graff, Larkyn Dasch, and Colby Fletcher.

As for Turner, the loss is the third in her most recent four fights. She entered Bellator 271 with a .500 promotional record with a win against Heather Hardy and a loss to Alejandra Lara.

Updated Bellator 271 results include:

  • Valerie Loureda def. Taylor Turner via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27)
  • Waldo Cortes-Acosta def. Muhammed DeReese via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
  • Ethan Hughes def. Mahmoud Sebie TKO (punches) – Round 3, 4:05

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Bellator 271 adds Valerie Loureda, host of other prospects to South Florida lineup

Valerie Loureda will look to rebound from the first loss of her career when she competes at home.

Bellator 271 is less than one month away, and the card is quickly filling up.

On Wednesday, promotion officials announced the addition of five preliminary card matchups, each of which features at least one multifight-rostered up-and-comer.

The event takes place Nov. 12 at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla. The main card airs on Showtime after prelims on MMA Junkie.

Among the names included are highly touted prospects Valerie Loureda, Roman Faraldo, Desiree Yanez, Cody Law, and Jordan Newman. Scroll below to check out who each fighter is facing.