Zelina Vega is back in WWE after making her surprise return on SmackDown, competing in her first match in almost 8 months in the process!
On the blue brand’s latest edition, Sonya Deville announced the second SmackDown star to compete in this year’s Women’s Money In The Bank Ladder Match -revealed to be the returning Zelina Vega! Vega gloated about how she would become the next Ms. Money In The Bank before being interrupted by Liv Morgan.
Morgan claimed that the manager-turned-wrestler didn’t deserve a spot in Money In The Bank after not competing on SmackDown for the entire year whilst she had defeated SmackDown’s first Women’s Money In The Bank entrant Carmella twice consecutively. Deville made the inevitable match official as the two stared each other down, with Vega competing in her first match since November 2020.
The two clashed in a back-and-forth bout as Carmella watched from backstage. Vega looked like she had the win when she rolled up Morgan whilst holding her tights, but the referee noticed and stopped her count. Morgan took advantage, rolling up her opponent to continue her 3-week winning streak.
#ZelinaVega is BACK and heading to the #MITB Ladder Match!#SmackDownpic.twitter.com/JkH5GByonD
— WWE (@WWE) July 3, 2021
Zelina Vega had initially been with WWE since 2013 before her release late last year, which was reportedly due to “fallout from last month’s edict that talents drop their relationships with third-party entities.” Moments before WWE’s confirmation of the release, Vega tweeted “I support unionization” and later went on to have a “powerful” discussion with SAG-AFTRA, the United States’ leading union for entertainment industry workers.
Rumours surrounding her potential return to the company have been swirling since reports in May claimed she had been spotted being filmed at the WWE Performance Center. A later report revealed the filming involved her walking in the WWE Performance Center alongside Simone Johnson, the daughter of The Rock. However, Johnson did not appear nor was referenced upon Zelina’s return to SmackDown.
Zelina is the 6th entrant in this year’s Women’s Money In The Bank Ladder Match, joining Asuka, Naomi, Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross from RAW as well as Carmella from SmackDown. Two participants from the blue brand have yet to be determined, though it’s likely Liv Morgan will earn a spot following her wins over both of SmackDown’s current entrants.