The new NXT Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez could have been a Knockout in IMPACT Wrestling.
Perez, formerly known by her ring name Rok-C is the former inaugural ROH Women’s World Champion. Prior to her tryout in WWE in January, Perez faced Deonna Purrazzo in a Title vs. Title Match in an IMPACT ring. On the line was not only Perez’s ROH Women’s World but Purrazzo’s AAA Reina de Reinas Title. Purrazzo would indeed take the title off Perez and become a double champ in the process.
Perez just became the NXT Women’s Champion at NXT Deadline defeating Mandy Rose. This championship victory was a topic of discussion on Busted Open Radio with Mickie James, Tommy Dreamer, and Dave LaGreca. Dreamer, who is a producer for IMPACT, mentioned that the company was interested in signing Perez after her appearance.
Dreamer says, “Which means he’s (Booker T) a great trainer. He really is because you saw that (Roxanne Perez winning the NXT Women’s Title). Think about the ride that she’s had in one year. I believe she went into the year as the Ring of Honor Women’s Champion and she’s leaving, she worked IMPACT, had one hell of a match and we were like, ‘We wanna sign her’ but she was like, ‘I got a tryout with WWE.’ ‘Cool, go. Hopefully it works out.’ and boom, she’s ending the year defeating Mandy Rose who had one hell of a reign. Congratulations to you. You reinvented your career, you reinvented your life, you made yourself have so much value and then, you know, for Roxanne Perez, what a great year. What a great book-end year.”
Mickie James added to the conversation about when she first met Perez. In addition that she also encouraged Perez to chase her dream in the WWE tryout.
James says, “I remember when I was booking EmPowerrr (NWA), and Rok-C, so I did see her wrestle and she was doing the stuff with Ring of Honor. It was right before she won the championship and talking to Maria (Kanellis) and Maria was booking Ring of Honor at the time. It didn’t up working out there, but I finally met her at that (IMPACT) tryout, and I told her, and I’m saying this now but Scott (D’Amore) would probably have stabbed me in the eyeball – but I hope I don’t see you back here. You could just see it. This girl is about to take off. She’s so young and she has the whole world at her feet. And she is going to be one of the biggest stars in wrestling, one of the biggest stars in wrestling.”
Dreamer adds that the industry isn’t like it used to be and Perez was motivated to go and do her WWE tryout with James adding that if things didn’t work out she can always come back.
