This WWE Superstar's Recent Performances Helped Boost Their Standing

This spring and summer have been a memorable one for the LWO's Zelina Vega, but it almost didn't happen.

Since joining the LWO, Vega has wrestled for the SmackDown Women's Championship in front of family and friends in Puerto Rico and competed in the women's Money in the Bank ladder match, garnering rave reviews from fans and critics alike during this run.

Fightful Select reports that Vega's increased presence grew out of a change in booking plans. Reportedly, Zelina's title match at Backlash was slated to be a Rhea Ripley squash, despite Vega's familial connections to Puerto Rico. However, a change was made, resulting in the 7-minute match that gave Vega a decent amount of offense before finally succumbing to Ripley. Fightful added that Rhea "was happy to accommodate" the change in plans.

This resulted in a well-received match that ended with Zelina getting a tremendous ovation from the Puerto Rico fans. That performance and crowd reaction, Fightful noted, in part led to Vega's subsequent push. Post-Payback, Vega defeated Lacey Evans to earn a spot in the Money in the Bank ladder match and bested Iyo Sky prior to her appearance in MITB.

Fightful noted that WWE sources observed that the booking change away from a title squash ended up being good for everyone, with Vega obviously benefiting, Ripley getting a more memorable title defense, and WWE reaping the benefits of the improved performances and reactions.