Stephanie Vaquer‘s rapid ascent in WWE has been nothing short of historic. After making a name for herself in the Mexican wrestling scene, the San Fernando, Chile native signed with WWE in 2024. She quickly dominated the developmental brand, capturing both the NXT Women‘s and NXT Women‘s North American Championships.
By 2025, she joined the main roster and made history as the first South American woman to win a world title in WWE, dethroning Iyo Sky for the WWE Women’s World Championship. As she prepares to defend that title against Liv Morgan at Wrestlemania next weekend, Vaquer is shedding light on the driving force behind her intense in-ring persona: heavy metal.
Speaking with Metal Hammer, the champion explained how professional wrestling actually served as her gateway into heavy music.
“Ever since I was young – I don’t remember exactly when – I’ve always liked metal,” she said. “Part of it comes from watching WWE at an early age, since many of the wrestlers’ entrance themes in the late 90s and early 2000s were powerful metal and rock songs.”
Her early heavy rotation featured bands like Iron Maiden, Slipknot, Drowning Pool, Motörhead, and Megadeth.
“I had a friend in Chile, still my best friend, who used to listen to these bands with me all the time,” she explained. “The best part was that as we discovered more music, each new song felt even better than the last!”
Vaquer‘s current on-screen character relies heavily on that background, complete with devil-horned ring gear and heavy guitar-driven entrance music. She credits the music with giving her “power, intensity and motivation.”
“That’s what I love most about it,” she added, “besides the clothing and overall style. I really connect with the metal aesthetic; l’ve always identified with it and felt like I belong in that world. It feels like a part of who I am.”
WWE and heavy metal have shared a long, intertwined history, with acts like Limp Bizkit, Ozzy Osbourne, and Motionless In White featuring prominently on WWE programming over the decades. For Vaquer, the crossover makes perfect sense.
“I think the connection between WWE and metal comes from the energy they both share,” Stephanie said. “Metal music gives wrestlers a strong identity and really gets the adrenaline pumping when they step into the ring. Growing up, I noticed bands like Motörhead, Drowning Pool and Limp Bizkit were always part of WWE, and now that I’m here, I understand why. Metal fits with the emotion, the power and the whole atmosphere of wrestling, and it helps you connect with the audience in a real and genuine way.”
A massive fan of Megadeth‘s 1990 classic Rust In Peace, an album she notes “brings back so many memories and every song on it is great,” Vaquer hopes to eventually get the ultimate Wrestlemania live music entrance.
“It would be a dream to have Motörhead accompany me, even though I know it’s impossible and they already did it with Triple H. It would also be a dream to come out to Megadeth’s ‘Head Crusher‘.”
Despite carrying the flag for headbangers on sports entertainment’s biggest stage, Vaquer remains humble about her status in the heavy music scene.
“Honestly, I don’t really see myself as a representative of metalheads. I’m not an expert, I just enjoy metal and go with it. But if people see me that way, it’s truly an honour. Their support means a lot to me, and I promise I won’t let them down.”
Going into her Wrestlemania title defense against Liv Morgan, she plans to use that musical inspiration to secure a victory.
“I’m going to bring all the strength, intensity and aggression I have into the ring. I’ll channel the energy of metal in every moment!” she concluded.
