Who Is New WWE Signing Valerie Loureda?

Written by John Duffy • Published 6th July 2022
Valerie Loureda WWE

Bellator star Valerie Loureda is WWE’s latest and history-making signing.

Marc Raimondi of ESPN first reported that the 23-year-old MMA star Loureda has signed a multi-year deal with WWE after trying out for the company in the spring.

Loureda confirmed these reports by appearing on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani to officially announce the beginning of her wrestling journey.

The signing of the young star is another landmark acquisition and a further sign of the Superstars the company is moulding for the future. Similar to the athletes recently acquired during the Next In Line (NIL) Program at the Performance Center.

Loureda is a long-time athlete having trained in many different aspects of fighting from an early age, which eventually led her to a career in MMA. Before choosing her MMA path, Loureda practised Taekwondo at her Father’s dojo. The 23-year-old’s father trained her all the way to a black belt in the martial art and United States Olympic team.

Forced to give up on her Olympic dreams to care for her sick mother and look after her younger sisters, Loureda happened to catch Yoel Romera vs. Robert Whittaker from UFC213 and knew that MMA was her next step.

She began training MMA in her hometown of Miami before relocating to Florida and American Top Team. Yes, that American Top Team, founded by AEW’s Dan Lambert and home to stars such as Paige VanZant, Junior Dos Santos and Tyron Woodley. This transition paid dividends as she was soon signed to Bellator.

In Bellator, she amassed a pro fight record of four wins and with one defeat. Her breakthrough moment came when she became a viral sensation with her victory dance after defeating Tara Graff at Bellator 243. It was clear that Loureda had a bright future in MMA, but attending WrestleMania 38 changed all of that.

Speaking to Helwani, Loureda explained when she went to Dallas, Texas earlier this year she was instantly hooked.

“I’m an entertainer. I love glamour. I love production, I love storytelling. And when I saw the WWE, I realized this is everything I’m good at in one place. (…) The moment I stepped into the suite and I saw the WWE organization, the professionalism and the production, I fell in love. I had goose-bumps like the first time I saw MMA on the TV.”

Valerie Loureda History Maker

After a try-out in late April/early May, Loureda knew WWE is where she belonged. She made it clear to her management that she had found her calling and was determined to become a WWE Superstar.

WWE captured the signing of the top MMA prospect on a multi-year deal, but significantly she will also be contracted to both companies. In an official statement Bellator president Scott Coker said of Loureda’s contract status with the fighting promotion:

“Valerie Loureda is a very young and talented athlete who can accomplish plenty in MMA for years to come, but for now we wish her the best of luck as she pursues her dream of becoming a WWE Superstar.”

“She will remain an active and under contract fighter with Bellator, and we look forward to welcoming her back into the cage in the near future. We take great pride in allowing our athletes to test themselves in additional arenas such as boxing and pro wrestling.”

The signing of Loureda is a historic moment for both the performer and WWE as she is the first-ever Cuban-American woman to sign for the promotion.

She is proud of her heritage and can’t wait to represent her family and culture in the promotion for all the world to see. Taking to Twitter, Loureda posted a message of honour and pride in regard to making history in WWE.

“I am honoured to become the first Cuban-American woman in history to sign with WWE I will be the greatest female sports entertainer of all time, mark my words. I come from a family of immigrants, now it’s my time to represent our Latino culture. I was destined for this. Thank you for this opportunity.”

Loureda has big plans for her career in WWE and is prepared to work and train hard to make it to the main roster within a year.