Zelina Vega: What’s next for her career?

Zelina Vega’s stunning release from the WWE is one of the biggest stories in the industry. Many are speculating what is next for her career as it seemed like she was poise to breakout in WWE.

Following new rules emerging from WWE management on the freedom allowed for their staff on streaming platforms such as Twitch, we saw an influx of friction between some stars and bosses with regards to resisting the imposed sanctions. One such name was Zelina Vega, who after continuing to stream on Twitch, and opening an OnlyFans account, was released by WWE. The announcement was blunt by WWE and Zelina made sure to get her point out in a “I support unionization” tweet.

But with WWE using Zelina as an example for their questionable restrictions, she has found herself a free agent with nothing but praises from her peers across the industry. The question has to be asked: What’s next for Zelina Vega?

AEW

Whenever WWE lets go of someone talented like Zelina “Go to AEW” is the phrase thrown at them. AEW have positioned themselves as a major alternative to WWE in the West and as result represent the second biggest place you can land.

AEW have developed a reputation of putting to good use some of the talent that Vince McMahon has overlooked or talent that had become disillusioned with the quality and the morality of the product they were representing. Names like Dean Ambrose (Jon Moxley), Chris Jericho and Luke Harper (Brodie Lee) have left the “big leagues” in search of greener pastures and have found solace and gold in the All Elite brand. It comes as no surprise either, Executive Vice President Cody has been in a similar position, winning belts in WWE but never quite being treated the way he should have, and falling out of favor with management before searching for a better alternative.

It only makes sense that Cody would therefore want AEW to offer a landing pad for the fallen, and although to his own admission they can’t hire all of WWE’s offloads (TNA circa 2000s), we have seen a fair amount of former stars apply their trade there. AEW may not be able to offer a contract to all those who are released, but Zelina represents something else. She is a substantial name in any women’s division, and considering one criticism you could make for All Elite is their lack of investment in female talent, it would make sense to deliver Vega to the roster as an opportunity to reinvigorate the division and present a new talent of AEW Women’s title potential.

What also offers AEW the better position to sign her is the fact that she would probably want to remain in the US with her husband Aleister Black, still with WWE, with Tony Khan’s promotion being the main alternative for superstars to apply their trade.

Impact

Vega, competing under the name Rosita, made a name for herself in Impact (known at the time as TNA) as one half of the Knockouts Tag Team champions, Rosita and Sarita, part of the larger faction known as Mexican America. With Impact relaunching the Knockouts Tag Team titles it could be the perfect opportunity for Vega to appear as a partner for someone, especially with Jordynne Grace having an unannounced partner in the ongoing tournament.

Beyond the tag titles, she could also return to Impact and challenge fellow former WWE talent and Knockouts champion Deonna Purrazzo for the belt she never captured during her first run. Impact also presents the opportunity that AEW offers in the sense that it is North America based and won’t require Vega to move far away from her husband. It also bodes well that Impact have had a recent influx of ex-WWE talent like Karl Anderson and Doc Gallows, Heath Slater, Eric Young, and Brian Myers (FKA Curt Hawkins) so she is a good fit for their recruitment.

Mexico

Zelina Vega was due a contract with CMLL whilst signed with TNA, only for the latter company’s working relationship with AAA to get in the way. So in a way, you could make the case that she has unfinished business in Mexico. She would be a good fit in either of the women’s rosters, offering a challenge for either Taya Valkyrie in AAA or Princesa Sugehit in CMLL.

Wherever Vega lands we can be sure that she will be treated in the way she should be, a big acquisition with a big name. Someone who offers as much as she does on the microphone with solid in-ring work like hers is a shoe-in for Women’s champion any promotion in North America, and with her husband Aleister Black supposedly having his request to move back to NXT denied, maybe we could see them as a double act in the free agency very soon.