Booker T praises NXT Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez.
Perez trained with WWE Hall of Famer Booker T at his Reality of Wrestling school/promotion. She went on to have a breakout run with Ring of Honor, where she won the ROH Women’s World Championship, and she signed with WWE in 2022. Perez quickly rose to the forefront of the NXT women’s division, and she defeated Mandy Rose to win the NXT Women’s Championship on the December 13 episode of NXT.
Speaking with Cameron Hawkins for The Ringer, Booker T praised Perez and the way she has rocketed to stardom in NXT. He looked back on the way she naturally took to wrestling when she was training; Booker T noted that Perez was only 16 years old when she started out at his school, and she picked up on it quickly.
“She’s been amazing as far as catching that rocket, lightning-in-a-bottle effect,” Booker T said. “It’s been so cool to see it up close and personal as well, being here at NXT, so it’s been awesome. … She did catch on pretty quick. She started at Fantasy Camp. … It’s a five-hour day, and you get a chance to test your mettle. She was only 16 years old when she did that, and she was like a natural. She definitely was rapid as far as someone that young picking the business up so quickly.”
Perez isn’t the only talent who has impressed Booker T during his time in NXT. He also pointed to Pretty Deadly, the former Toxic Attraction team of Gigi Dolin and Jacy Jayne, and Tiffany Stratton as he stated that he enjoys working with young people.
“But even for Pretty Deadly [Kit Wilson and Elton Prince], those guys, to be around for [the former] Toxic Attraction right now, to be around for Tiffany Stratton, it goes deep,” Booker T said. “I think the coaching, for me, is something I love. It’s something I really gravitate to. Working with young people is something I really gravitate to.”
Perez is currently sidelined; she collapsed after she defeated Meiko Satomura to retain the NXT Women’s Championship on the “Roadblock” edition of NXT on March 7. A ladder match for the NXT Women’s Championship has been announced for NXT Stand & Deliver, and it is unclear whether Perez will be able to compete in the bout.
WrestleZone will have coverage of NXT Stand & Deliver as it airs.
