Stephanie Vaquer has opened up about the emotional rollercoaster she experienced while choosing to sign with WWE instead of AEW following her high-profile appearance at the AEW/NJPW Forbidden Door pay-per-view event, where she faced Mercedes Moné.

Speaking with Kevin Felgueras of Rock & Pop FM, Vaquer shared that WWE reached out directly after that match. “What happened is that I was involved in a very important match. After that match, WWE called me on the phone and said, ‘Are you interested in working with us?’ and I said, ‘Of course I am, what do you propose?’” she recalled. WWE then asked whether she would prefer to join NXT or head straight to the main roster. “I said Main Roster first,” Vaquer confirmed.

At the time of the contact, Vaquer was still based in Mexico and held multiple prestigious championships across NJPW and CMLL. “I had the most important Women’s World Championship in NJPW and the two most important women’s championships in Mexico,” she said, highlighting the weight of her commitments. She added, “I am a person who likes to do things calmly and think well, not rushed. I was so excited that WWE reached out to me.”

As negotiations started, she informed her boss at CMLL. Initially, there was a bit of confusion. “My boss thought I was talking about AEW because I said they would talk to me,” she explained. This led to a surprising moment where they realized AEW had also been in talks. “We just stared at each other and I asked ‘wait, did AEW talk to you?’ and he said, ‘yes, they talked to me yesterday because they wanted to do business with you.’”

Vaquer’s contract with CMLL had expired, and she had a special agreement with NJPW. With a green light from her boss, she flew to Toronto for discussions with WWE. However, things became even more complicated once she arrived. “When I was already in Toronto at the hotel, people from AEW talked to me and said, ‘We know you are in Toronto, don’t sign,’ and then I said, ‘Now hold on, what are y’all offering?’” she said with a laugh.

Feeling overwhelmed, Vaquer turned to her father for guidance. “I swear, there was a moment when I didn’t know what to do,” she admitted. “I hadn’t eaten all week, and I told them I’m going to get home because it’s my niece’s birthday and I’ll have an answer for everyone tomorrow.”

Although WWE was her dream, she said she had to think practically. “I was thinking that I have too much on my plate to let myself get carried away with a childhood dream,” she explained.

AEW offered to cover her hotel expenses to help sway her decision, while WWE took a neutral stance, giving her full autonomy. “I paid for my hotel and flight, so I didn’t favor anyone,” Vaquer noted. WWE had initially wanted her to appear in the front row of an NXT show that same day, but she declined out of respect for her then-current obligations. “WWE completely understood,” she added.

As she continued wrestling with the decision, her father gave her a heartfelt piece of advice: “He told me to follow my heart.” When she told WWE what AEW had offered, they responded with honesty. “They said ‘we can’t afford that. Thank you very much and good luck at AEW.’” That moment brought her to tears. “Even my dad asked, ‘Why are you crying after being offered all that cash?’”

Then came a pivotal moment—WWE legend Shawn Michaels personally reached out. “He said, ‘Stephanie, I know you understand English, and I want to talk to you personally. I’m Shawn Michaels, and I have this proposal.’” Vaquer told him money was not her motivation. “This is my life, and I sacrificed my whole life for wrestling, and no money will pay for that.”

Michaels offered her heartfelt advice that helped solidify her choice. “He told me some words I will keep for the rest of my life because they are words from a wise person who made me make the best decision.”

Soon after, WWE made their final offer. “They contacted me from WWE to tell me what they were offering, and then they asked me, ‘What do you say?’ And I answered, ‘Let’s do it,’ and that’s how it went.”