What if I told you that there was a former Bellator MMA fighter that was extremely successful in the sport who left to achieve even bigger success in the professional wrestling industry? I am of course talking about Valerie Loureda.
The former MMA fighter has an extensive background in the fighting game. Along with her younger sister, Natalie, she is a taekwondo master and holds a fourth-degree black belt in the sport. Throughout her MMA career, she often polarized audiences with her unique and quick fighting style she often in least fear in her opponents, as her fighting style was well known nationally, and throughout Miami, Florida, where she is from.
Valerie Loureda
She also credits her lifelong dedication to the Sport as the reason why her work ethic is so unmatched as opposed to other fighters in the sport “I feel like I’m a true martial artist, and MMA has allowed me to portray to the world the honor, discipline and tradition that comes with being a black belt, and Bellator has given me the opportunity to influence the lives of thousands of people, especially women who are looking and are struggling to pursue their passion, so I’m really excited to just get in that cage, confront whoever they put in front of me, and with respect, win that challenge and continue going up and developing.
“I really want to leave my legacy on this world as being the best female martial artist who has ever stepped on this planet.” Pretty confident from event up-and-coming fighter if you ask me.
In her career, Loureda managed to go 3-1 when in the cage. Taking people’s breath away by how quickly she would knock out her opponents, and how she would not even be phased by it. I remember the first time I saw one of her fights before she transitioned into the WWE. I was blown away by her speed and athleticism in the cage. She was born to be an MMA fighter. She’s had to fight tooth and nail for every opportunity she’s been given. And I cannot help but admire her determination from afar.
Recently, in 2022, she became the first cuban American to sign with a major wrestling promotion world wrestling entertainment, or WWE as it’s commonly known. When asked about signing with WWE, Loureda said: “ I have now become the first Cuban-American woman and I am now a WWE superstar.” “I’m really excited, and I’ve dedicated my whole life to martial arts, and everything has come to this moment. And this is my opportunity to showcase my culture and entertain the world. She now goes by the ring name Lola vice and is currently 0-3 in her professional wrestling career. As a fellow Cuban-American myself, I cannot help but be proud to see one of our own, representing us on a national stage.
In my opinion, while I would’ve loved to see her fight in the cage more, I cannot help but admire her dedication for her newfound passion in professional wrestling.
