On January 4 Valentina Loca entered the Bridge View Center in Ottumwa, Iowa with redemption on her mind and championship gold in her sights.
A year earlier at Central Empire Wrestling’s Bridge City Slam 1, Loca fell short in her quest to become CEW’s Ladies Champion.
Her match with Savanna Stone at the original Bridge City Slam was in large part considered the match of the night, with the two young ladies putting on a physicality clinic.
Three months later she had her second opportunity to dethrone Stone at the CEW 10-year anniversary and in another physically demanding match, fell just short.
For the remainder of 2019, Loca was on a warpath through Central Empire Wrestling, inching ever closer to another shot at the CEW Ladies Championship.
Bringing us to January 2020 and Central Empire Wrestling needing a new Ladies Champion, Sierra, who dethroned Savanna Stone in September, vacated the championship to take some time away from wrestling.
With CEW’s biggest event Bridge City Slam 2, came the ultimate opportunity for redemption as she was scheduled to fight Branae for the CEW Ladies Championship.
An injury kept Branae out of the title match and Brahne Victoria stepped in to determine the new CEW Ladies Champion.
It was on that night Loca completed her journey to the top of CEW’s ladies division capturing the championship in a hard-fought battle with Victoria.
Before the show, my son Emmett and I had the opportunity to sit down with the “Southwest Spitfire” to talk about her journey to Bridge City Slam 2 and what lies ahead for her in 2020.
Hailing from the Heisenberg House, Valentina Loca enters for her CEW Ladies Championship match at Bridge City Slam 2
How long have you been wrestling and where did you initially train?
I’ve been wrestling for about two years now and trained at the Black and Brave Wrestling Academy run by Seth Rollins in Davenport, Iowa.
Having been a part of Bridge City Slam last year, what does it mean to you and for CEW to be back again today?
I think it’s really awesome, I have definitely seen the progression with the company. Being invited back and asked to be a part of it again this year is really, really cool. I’m definitely very humbled by it, and I am really driven plus it didn’t go so well l for me last year. Anyone that came last year knew that match that I had with Savanna Stone was really good, but it was also the same night I got busted open. So can’t nobody say I’m not dedicated.
You’ve been chasing the CEW Ladies Championship for a while now, what does this mean for you to possibly get over that hump and accomplish that goal?
I think not only will this event signal my growth as a performer from last year to this year, but I think it will also set the tone for me personally in 2020. Because I got to do a lot of awesome things in 2019, which is cool, but I am also a person who doesn’t like to settle. If I can start the new year off with a big win it will really get things rolling.
What promotions do you wrestle for?
I wrestle all over the Midwest. I’ve wrestled for Central Empire Wrestling and SCW Pro, along with promotions in Nebraska, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. I just try to try to get my name out all over the place.
Redemption served for Valentina Loca at Bridge City Slam 2
My son Emmett’s questions: 1. If you win tonight, what will your plan be moving on?
I think my plan isn’t going to change if I win. I’m already telling people I am the best, I think I’m the best and tonight will just prove it. So I’m just going to keep doing me and keep telling everybody what they already know.
2. If you could wrestle any wrestler dead or alive, who would you choose and why?
I would love to wrestle Eddie Guerrero because he was my favorite wrestler by far. He was the one person that made me believe I could be a wrestler. Like me he wasn’t the biggest guy and being of Hispanic descent, I was like heck yeah that's my guy. So if I could wrestle Eddie that would be it.
What was it like being on Monday Night Raw as part of No Way Jose’s conga line?
That was a really great experience, it was my second time doing the conga line and each time was a super humbling experience. To be selected to do something like and people say “oh it’s just the conga line”, no you get to be at your dream job and be on TV, it really was mind-blowing. Nine-year-old me would be like, you’re doing what? Above all else, it was really, really cool.
What’s in store for Valentina Loca in 2020?
You’re going to see me everywhere all the time. Because if you didn’t see me enough in 2019, well surprise you’re going to see me a lot more in 2020.
Now that she’s captured the CEW Ladies Championship, Valentina Loca is no longer the hunter, instead, she has become the hunted and for the "Southwest Spitfire," it's all a part of the game she feels she is becoming a master at playing.
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