Stephanie Vaquer recalls her bout with Mercedes Mone.
Mone and Vaquer faced off in a NJPW STRONG Women's Title Tournament Semi Final match at NJPW Resurgence in May 2023. Mone may have won the bout, but many fans praised Vaquer's performance in the match, which was her debut for New Japan Pro Wrestling.
Vaquer recently sat down with Denise Salcedo for a new interview. Vaquer talked about her match with Mone in length, first noting that the match was very special for her, due to the fact that she was the first Latina to fight in New Japan.
"Fighting was a unique experience, eh? I think it was one of the best fights I've had in my career, not only because it was with a great, uh, exponent like Mercedes Monet, but also because it was a very special event for me. On that day I became the first Latina to fight in New Japan. So for me it was something very, very important. I had a lot of pressure because it was like opening a door for all the Amazons in CMLL."
Vaquer then recalled getting an ovation from the fans after the match, which is something that she'll never forget.
"So many things depended on me. That day was really spectacular and I remember very well when the fight was over. In my head. I was just thinking. I could not win. I could not win. I couldn't win. But the moment I got up, I was on my way to the locker room. People started clapping. Then they started to stand up and I turned around thinking Mercedes was in the hallway, but I turned around and saw that Mercedes Mone was there and I realized they were applauding me. So for me I really almost cried with emotion because I said wow, it's an audience that is not, does not know me. It's a place where it's not my home, it's not my arena, that's what I'm used to, maybe feel it. The arena Mexico that people know me, that in my home, but in the United States they didn't know me, I was losing the fight. I felt very bad because I had lost that fight and the people still stood up, applauded me and I think that is also something I will never forget in my life."
Since having the match with Mone, Vaquer has went on to wrestle Mayu Iwatani and Lluvia in NJPW STRONG.
Mercedes Mone recently said that she can't wait to get back in the ring with some wrestling company in 2024. Fans can learn more by clicking here.
Special thanks to Luis Pulido for the quote(s).
