Raquel González (wrestler)
Victoria González (born January 12, 1991) is an American professional wrestler better known by the ring name Raquel González . She is currently signed to WWE, where she performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Raquel Rodriguez. She is a former NXT Womens Champion and two-time NXT Womens Tag Team Champion. González is a second generation professional wrestler, following her father Rick González. In 2021, she and, now former tag team partner and best friend, Dakota Kai won the inaugural Women's Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic and became the inaugural NXT Women's Tag  Team Champions, while González won the NXT Women's Championship. Early life. Victoria González was born on January 12, 1991, in La Feria, Texas, United States. She is of Mexican descent. Through high school and college, González was a basketball player, playing collegiately for the Texas A&M–Kingsville Javelinas. Professional wrestling career. WWE. Early appearances (2016–2018). On October 25, 2016, it was reported that González had signed with WWE and reported to the WWE Performance Center. She made her in-ring debut on January 20, 2017, under her birth name at an NXT live event, where she was unsuccessful to  win a 12-woman battle royal. On the May 3 episode of "NXT", González made her first television appearance in a losing effort where she was eliminated during a battle royal to determine the #1 contender for the NXT Women's Championship. Under the name Reina González, she competed in the inaugural Mae Young Classic tournament, where she was eliminated during the first round by Nicole Savoy, which aired on August 28. González would compete again in the tournament in 2018, where she once again was eliminated in the first round by Kacy Catanzaro. Alliance with Dakota Kai (2020–2021). On  February 16, 2020, at , González made her first televised appearance since the Mae Young Classic under the ring name Raquel González, where she interfered a street fight between Dakota Kai and Tegan Nox by slamming Nox through a table, allowing Kai to win the match, establishing herself as a heel in the process. Following TakeOver, González became Kai's bodyguard, helping her win her matches. González had her first pay-per-view match on June 7 at , where she teamed with Candice LeRae and Kai, losing to the team of Mia Yim, Nox and Shotzi Blackheart in a six-woman  tag team match. Afterwards, González went on a short hiatus, but returned on the August 19 episode of "NXT", helping Kai attack NXT Women's Champion Io Shirai. At NXT TakeOver XXX three days later, after Kai was unsuccessful against Shirai, Rhea Ripley confronted González, beginning a rivalry. González and Kai defeated Ripley and Shirai on the following episode of "NXT" after interference from Mercedes Martinez, however, González lost to Ripley at on October 28. Into November, Kai and González aligned with LeRae and Toni Storm, resulting in a WarGames match against Blackheart, Ember Moon, Shirai, and Ripley at on  December 6, which González won after pinning Shirai. Afterwards, González resumed her rivalry with Ripley, defeating her in a Last Woman Standing match at on January 6, 2021, to end the feud. Kai and González then took part in the inaugural Women's Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic. The duo defeated Aliyah and Jessi Kamea in the first round, and Kacy Catanzaro and Kayden Carter in the semi-finals, before defeating Blackheart and Moon at on February 14 to win the tournament. As a result of their win, they received a match for the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship  against champions Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler on March 3; the match ended in controversy, with Jax and Baszler retaining after Baszler submitted Kai despite her not being tagged in. As a result, González and Kai were crowned the inaugural NXT Women's Tag Team Champions the following week, the first title in González's career; however, they would lose the titles 56 minutes later to Blackheart and Moon in their first title defense. NXT Women's Champion and feud with Dakota Kai (2021–2022). On April 7, 2021, on the first night of , González defeated Shirai to become the new  NXT Women's Champion. Later on May 11, she defeated Mercedes Martinez to defend her title for the first time. on May 25, Raquel and Dakota went up against Ember Moon and Shotzi Blackheart and lost, after the match, Raquel brutally attacked Shotzi while Dakota forced Ember to watch. On June 13, at , Raquel defeated Ember Moon to retain the title. On the July 27 episode of "NXT", González was attacked by Kai, thus turning face for the first time in her career and ending their alliance. This led to González retaining the title against Kai at NXT TakeOver 36 . At , González lost the NXT Women's Championship to Mandy Rose in a Trick or Street Fight match thanks to the returning, Dakota Kai's interference, ending her reign at 202 days. At NXT New Year's Evil on January 4, Gonzalez failed to regain the title in a triple threat match also involving Cora Jade, who Rose pinned to retain the title. Reuniting with Dakota Kai and main roster (2022–present). On the March 29, 2022 episode of "NXT 2.0", after Toxic Attraction took out Wendy Choo, Dakota Kai attacked the group and would be assisted by a returning  González, whom Kai embraced afterwards, thus completing her face turn for the first time since November 2019. It was then announced that Kai and González would take on Toxic Attraction members Gigi Dolin and Jacy Jayne for the NXT Women's Tag Team Championship during the Kickoff pre-show of NXT Stand & Deliver, in which they were successful. In their first title defense on the following episode of NXT 2.0, Kai and Gonzalez lost the titles back to Toxic Attraction due to Mandy Rose’s interference. This turned out to be González's final NXT appearance. On the April 8 , 2022 edition of SmackDown, González debuted in a backstage segment under the new ring name Raquel Rodriguez. Personal life. González is currently dating Adam Scherr, better known as former WWE Superstar, Braun Strowman.