1. Early Life
Thea Megan Trinidad was born on December 27, 1990, in the Queens borough of New York City. She is of Afro-Latin Puerto Rican descent. From a young age, she developed a passion for professional wrestling, watching it with her father and younger brother, Timothy. She was particularly inspired by wrestlers such as Rey Mysterio and Lita. Her parents divorced during her childhood but maintained a friendly relationship. Outside of wrestling, she engaged in sports like swimming and baseball at school.
A profoundly impactful event in Trinidad's early life was the September 11 attacks when she was 10 years old. Her father, Michael Angel Trinidad, a telecom analyst for Cantor Fitzgerald, was killed in the attacks while working on the 103rd floor of the North Tower of the World Trade Center. Her mother, Monique Ferrer, shared the story of their meeting and the devastating experience of her husband's death with StoryCorps, which created a short cartoon titled Always a Family in his honor. Trinidad has stated that her father's death motivated her to pursue a career in professional wrestling. She was featured in an NBC special called Children of 9/11 on September 5, 2011, and has since participated in various charitable causes, including working as a counselor at a camp for children who lost parents on 9/11 and contributing to Habitat for Humanity with Tuesday's Children after Hurricane Katrina. She also took part in the September 11 Memorial Ceremony on both the first and twentieth anniversaries of the attacks, reading out the names of victims.
2. Professional Wrestling Career
Trinidad's professional wrestling career began in 2010, leading her through various promotions and roles before gaining prominence in WWE.
2.1. Early Career (2010-2011)
At the age of 17, Trinidad started her professional wrestling training under Javi-Air, Azrieal, and T. J. Perkins. She made her debut on February 20, 2010, for National Wrestling Superstars (NWS) under the ring name Divina Fly, where she lost to Brittney Savage. She continued to compete in NWS, sometimes as Snookie Fly, including a mixed-tag-team match where she teamed with Judas Young and Mike Dennis against Brittney Savage and Team Supreme.
On the same day as her NWS debut, February 20, 2010, she also debuted for Women Superstars Uncensored (WSU) as Divina Fly, again losing to Brittney Savage. In June 2010, as part of the tag team "The Fly Girls" with Niya, she unsuccessfully challenged Cindy Rogers and Jana for the WSU Tag Team Championship. In September 2010, Divina Fly secured a victory over Candy Cartwright.
2.2. Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2011-2013)
After being discovered by Tommy Dreamer, Trinidad had a tryout dark match with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) on January 11, 2011, losing to Angelina Love. She signed a contract with TNA on January 27. On the February 10 episode of Impact!, Trinidad debuted as Rosita, the storyline cousin of Sarita. In her debut, she teamed with Sarita, Madison Rayne, and Tara to defeat Angelina Love, Mickie James, Velvet Sky, and Winter, with Rosita pinning Sky.
In February 2011, Rosita and Sarita earned a shot at Love and Winter's TNA Knockouts Tag Team Championship. At Victory Road on March 13, Rosita and Sarita defeated Love and Winter to win the TNA Knockouts Tag Team Championship, with Sarita declaring this the start of a "Mexican takeover" of TNA. On the following Impact! episode, their alliance with Hernandez was officially named Mexican America, and they were later joined by Anarquia on March 24. Rosita and Sarita successfully defended their titles against The Beautiful People (Angelina Love and Velvet Sky) and against Madison Rayne and Tara. They also defended the championship against Velvet Sky and Ms. Tessmacher on June 16, with assistance from ODB.
Rosita and Sarita lost the TNA Knockouts Tag Team Championship to Ms. Tessmacher and Tara on July 12. They received a rematch at Hardcore Justice on August 7 but were defeated. Another attempt to recapture the titles on March 22, 2012, against Eric Young and ODB also failed, as did a steel cage match at Lockdown on April 15. After these losses, Rosita and Sarita became inactive in TNA, and the departure of Anarquia and Hernandez turning face effectively ended Mexican America. Trinidad's contract with TNA expired on January 9, 2013, and she parted ways with the promotion.
2.3. Independent Circuit (2011-2017)
Concurrent with and following her TNA tenure, Trinidad was active on the independent circuit. In late August 2011, she traveled to Mexico and trained with Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) trainers Arturo Beristain and Tony Salazar. She was offered a contract with CMLL, but could not sign due to TNA's working relationship with rival promotion AAA. Days later, she appeared on AAA's television program Sin Límite, promoting a storyline involving TNA wrestlers invading AAA.
On May 14, 2011, Rosita debuted for Family Wrestling Entertainment (FWE) at their Meltdown pay-per-view, losing to Winter with Christy Hemme as the special guest referee. She had three rematches against Winter in 2011, all of which she lost. In March 2012, she unsuccessfully challenged Maria Kanellis for the FWE Women's Championship in a three-way match, with Winter winning the title.
On May 6, 2015, Trinidad was announced as part of the roster for Global Force Wrestling (GFW). She debuted for GFW on June 12, 2015, defeating Lei'D Tapa, but her profile was removed from GFW's website by August 20. In July 2015, Trinidad debuted in Ring of Honor (ROH), managing Austin Aries. In September 2016, she joined Shine Wrestling, defeating Stormie Lee at Shine 37. Later that month, she debuted in World Wonder Ring Stardom, defeating Kris Wolf.
2.4. WWE (2017-present)
Trinidad's journey to WWE included several attempts and different roles, ultimately leading to a prominent position.
2.4.1. Managing Andrade (2017-2020)
Trinidad first took part in a tryout for WWE on March 4, 2013. She made brief appearances for the company in 2014, including as one of Adam Rose's "rosebuds." On October 26, 2016, she had a match on NXT where she was defeated by then-NXT Women's Champion Asuka.
By June 2017, Trinidad had officially signed with WWE and began training at the WWE Performance Center. She started appearing on NXT on the June 9 episode, confronting and slapping Andrade "Cien" Almas regarding his behavior. On July 19, she began accompanying Almas, establishing herself as his heel manager under the name Zelina Vega. She frequently interfered in Almas' matches, helping him secure victories.
At NXT TakeOver: WarGames on November 18, 2017, Vega interfered in Almas' match against Drew McIntyre for the NXT Championship, performing a hurricanrana driver on McIntyre, which helped Almas win the title. At NXT TakeOver: Philadelphia on January 27, 2018, during Almas' title defense against Johnny Gargano, Vega again interfered, leading to an attack by Gargano's wife, Candice LeRae.
Vega made her first main roster appearance at the Royal Rumble on January 28, 2018, accompanying Almas during his entrance in the Royal Rumble match. On April 18, 2018, Vega had her first televised match in NXT, losing to Candice LeRae. This marked her and Almas's final appearances in NXT.
On April 17, during the Superstar Shake-up, Vega and Almas were both drafted to the SmackDown brand. Vega debuted on SmackDown on May 15, accompanying Almas. On July 31, she had her first match on the brand, defeating Lana. At SummerSlam on August 19, she and Almas defeated Lana and Rusev. Vega competed in a battle royal at WWE Evolution on October 28, but was eliminated by Nia Jax. She also participated in the WrestleMania Women's Battle Royal at WrestleMania 35 on April 7, 2019, but failed to win.
During the 2019 WWE Superstar Shake-up, Vega and Almas (now renamed Andrade) were initially drafted to Raw, but Vega was moved back to SmackDown by April 22. In October, as part of the 2019 Draft, Vega and Andrade were drafted to Raw. Vega often assisted Andrade, helping him retain the WWE United States Championship on multiple occasions. She entered the women's Royal Rumble match at the namesake pay-per-view on January 26, 2020, at number 25 but was eliminated by Shayna Baszler.
As Andrade and his new tag team partner Angel Garza frequently argued, Vega appeared to end her association with them on the September 14, 2020, episode of Raw, confronting Asuka and initiating a feud. The following week, Vega defeated Mickie James to earn a title match against Asuka for the Raw Women's Championship at Clash of Champions on September 27, which she lost via submission.
In October 2020, as part of the 2020 Draft, Vega was drafted to the SmackDown brand. On November 13, 2020, WWE announced her release. The same day, Trinidad publicly expressed her support for unionization in professional wrestling, stating "I support unionization." It was later reported that her release was due to her opposition to WWE's policy requiring talent to relinquish control over their accounts on third-party platforms. This public stance highlighted her advocacy for wrestlers' rights and control over their own brands.
2.4.2. Queen Zelina (2021-2022)
After a nearly eight-month hiatus, Vega returned to WWE on the July 2, 2021, episode of SmackDown, where it was announced she would compete in the 2021 Women's Money in the Bank ladder match. She made her in-ring return that night, losing to Liv Morgan, and failed to win the ladder match at the event on July 18. On August 27, she participated in a fatal four-way elimination match to determine the #1 contender for the SmackDown Women's Championship, which was won by Bianca Belair.
Vega was scheduled to wrestle on the September 10, 2021, episode of SmackDown at Madison Square Garden, but her match was cut due to time constraints, for which Vince McMahon personally apologized to her. As part of the 2021 Draft, Vega was drafted to the Raw brand, effective October 22.
Before the draft took effect, Vega entered the inaugural Queen's Crown tournament, representing SmackDown. She defeated Toni Storm in the first round and Carmella in the semi-finals. At Crown Jewel on October 21, Vega defeated Raw's Doudrop in the finals to win the tournament, becoming the first-ever "Queen" and securing her first accolade in WWE. On the following Raw episode, now officially on the Raw brand, she had a coronation ceremony where she was adorned with a crown, cape, and scepter, and her ring name was officially changed to Queen Zelina. She then defeated Doudrop in a rematch, utilizing her scepter.
On November 8, she competed in a fatal five-way match for a shot at the Raw Women's Championship, won by Liv Morgan. At Survivor Series on November 21, she participated in the 5-on-5 Survivor Series elimination match but was eliminated by Toni Storm.
On the November 22, 2021, episode of Raw, Queen Zelina teamed with Carmella to defeat Rhea Ripley and Nikki A.S.H for the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship, marking Queen Zelina's first title reign in WWE. They successfully defended the titles against Ripley and A.S.H. in a rematch on January 3, 2022. At Royal Rumble on January 29, Queen Zelina entered the Royal Rumble match at number 7, eliminating Sasha Banks before being eliminated by Ripley. On Night 2 of WrestleMania 38 on April 3, Queen Zelina and Carmella lost their titles in a fatal four-way tag team match to Sasha Banks and Naomi, ending their reign at 131 days. In May, it was reported that she was sidelined due to an in-ring injury requiring surgery.
2.4.3. Latino World Order (2022-2025)
After a seven-month hiatus for surgery recovery, Vega returned on the October 7, 2022, episode of SmackDown, aligning herself with Legado Del Fantasma and attacking Hit Row. At the Royal Rumble on January 28, 2023, Vega entered the Women's Royal Rumble match at number 21, eliminating Xia Li before being eliminated by Lacey Evans.
On the March 10, 2023, episode of SmackDown, Vega and Legado Del Fantasma assisted Rey Mysterio against The Judgment Day, marking her first face turn in her WWE career after six years as a villainous character. On the March 31 episode of SmackDown, Rey Mysterio reformed the Latino World Order (LWO) and invited Legado Del Fantasma to join, recognizing their aid against his son Dominik Mysterio and The Judgment Day.
On April 21, 2023, Vega requested a match against The Judgment Day's Rhea Ripley for the SmackDown Women's Championship at Backlash, which was granted. The match took place in Puerto Rico, Vega's ancestral homeland, where she received a significant ovation from the crowd despite failing to win the title from Ripley. This moment was particularly poignant for Vega and her fans.
On the June 2 episode of SmackDown, Vega defeated Lacey Evans to qualify for the 2023 women's Money in the Bank ladder match. However, she and stablemate Escobar were unsuccessful in their respective ladder matches at the event. On August 25, Vega challenged WWE Women's Champion Iyo Sky for the championship on SmackDown, having previously defeated Sky, but was unsuccessful.
On the November 10, 2023, episode of SmackDown, Escobar defected from the LWO, and the following week, he officially removed Vega, Del Toro, and Wilde from Legado del Fantasma, effectively ending their association with him. At Night 2 of the 2024 WWE Draft, the LWO, including Vega, were drafted to the Raw brand.
2.4.4. SmackDown (2025-present)
On January 27, 2025, it was announced that Vega was transferred back to the SmackDown brand. On February 1, Vega entered the Women's Royal Rumble at number 22, but she was eliminated by Nia Jax.
3. Championships and Accomplishments
Thea Megan Trinidad has achieved several championships and accolades throughout her professional wrestling career:
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- Inspirational Wrestler of the Year (2011)
- Ranked No. 31 of the top 50 female wrestlers in the PWI Female 50 in 2011
- Ranked No. 30 in the top 30 female wrestlers in 2018
- Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
- TNA Knockouts Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Sarita
- Women's Wrestling Fan Awards
- Best Manager of the Year (2017)
- WWE
- WWE Women's Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Carmella
- Queen's Crown tournament (2021)
4. Professional Wrestling Skills and Persona
Zelina Vega is known for her distinctive in-ring style and captivating persona, characterized by her agility, technical prowess, and ability to transition between villainous and heroic roles.
4.1. Finishing Moves
Throughout her career, Vega has utilized a variety of finishing maneuvers to secure victories:
- Code Red (Sunset flip powerbomb) - used from 2021 to present.
- Doll-Sault / Fly Cutter / Muneca-Sault (Diving moonsault)
- Double knee backbreaker - used from 2020 to 2021.
- Hammerlock DDT - used from 2016 to 2020.
- Jumping stunner
- Running cutter
- See a shadows (Running double knee kick to an opponent cornered in the corner) - used from 2016 to 2020.
- Standing DDT
4.2. Signature Moves
Her signature moves often display her quickness and technical ability:
- Corner bicycle kick
- Crucifix armbar on an opponent between the ropes
- Diving hurricanrana
- Doll-Can-Frog (Hurricanrana driver)
- Dragon sleeper
- Hair pull mat slam
- Multiple arm drag
- Over the top rope somersault plancha
- Spinning facebuster
- Sleeper hold with bodyscissors
4.3. Managerial Roles
Zelina Vega has served as a manager for several wrestlers, playing a crucial role in their on-screen personas and often interfering to influence match outcomes. Notable wrestlers she has managed include:
- Anarquia
- Austin Theory
- Andrade "Cien" Almas/Andrade
- Angel Garza
- Hernandez
- Sarita
4.4. Nicknames
Throughout her career, she has been known by several nicknames:
- "La Muneca" (La MuñecaThe DollSpanish)
- "Queen Zelina"
4.5. Entrance Themes
Her entrance music has evolved with her character and promotions:
- "Forever" by Goldy Locks (used in Impact Wrestling; 2011-2012)
- "Stand Up" by Filthee and Serg Salinas (used in TNA; 2011-2012; as a member of Mexican America)
- "Raging of the Region" by Dale Oliver (used in TNA; 2015)
- "Feelin' Me" by Kynady Lee (used in WWE NXT; 2016-2017)
- "Making a Difference" by CFO$ (used in WWE NXT/WWE; 2017-2020; as manager of Andrade)
- "The Doll (La Muneca)" by Def Rebel (used in WWE; 2020-2021)
- "Royal Doll" by Def Rebel (used in WWE; 2021-present)
5. Other Activities
Beyond professional wrestling, Thea Megan Trinidad has pursued various endeavors in film and other media, demonstrating her versatility.
5.1. Film Appearances
Trinidad has appeared in several films, often in roles that align with her dynamic public persona:
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Dorothy and the Witches of Oz | Astoria | |
| 2013 | Army of the Damned | Lawson | |
| 2015 | Hope Bridge | Amanda | |
| 2019 | Fighting with My Family | AJ Lee | Trinidad portrayed fellow professional wrestler AJ Lee in this biographical film. |
5.2. Other Media Appearances
Trinidad's media presence extends beyond film. She appeared in the documentary Children of 9/11 and has actively participated in the annual September 11 Memorial Ceremony, reading out the names of victims on the first and twentieth anniversaries. She credits Dwayne Johnson (The Rock) as an inspiration for her venture into acting.
In August 2023, Trinidad, alongside New Zealand professional wrestler Cheree Crowley (known as Dakota Kai), launched a podcast titled "ZELVXandCharlieGirl."
She has also been featured as a character in numerous video games, initially as a non-playable manager in WWE 2K19, and later as a playable character in WWE Mayhem, WWE Universe, WWE Champions, WWE SuperCard, WWE 2K20, WWE 2K23, and WWE 2K24. Furthermore, Trinidad is an in-game commentator for the fighting game Street Fighter 6.
6. Personal Life
Thea Megan Trinidad is married to Dutch professional wrestler Tom Büdgen, known professionally as Malakai Black, since 2018. They reside in Tampa, Florida.
Her personal experiences related to the September 11 attacks have remained a significant part of her public identity. On the 10th anniversary of the attacks, Trinidad spoke out of character about her father's death during TNA's No Surrender pay-per-view, and she has continued to honor his memory at subsequent memorial ceremonies.
Trinidad is also known for her lifestyle choices, publicly identifying as a "vegan athlete." She also enjoys cosplay, frequently dressing as characters from various anime series.
7. Assessment and Impact
Thea Megan Trinidad's career as Zelina Vega is marked by her distinct contributions to professional wrestling and her impactful social stances. Her agility and character versatility have made her a compelling figure in various promotions. Her personal connection to the September 11 attacks has driven her involvement in charitable endeavors, using her platform to advocate for and remember those affected by the tragedy.
Beyond her in-ring accomplishments, Trinidad's vocal support for unionization in professional wrestling stands out as a significant aspect of her impact. Her public advocacy for wrestlers' rights, which initially led to her release from WWE, highlighted ongoing discussions within the industry regarding independent contractor status versus employee benefits. Her subsequent re-signing by WWE, reportedly accompanied by an apology from Vince McMahon, served as a notable moment in the broader conversation about wrestler welfare and autonomy in a major promotion. Her career thus represents not just athletic achievement but also a commitment to social responsibility and advocating for fellow performers.