As we kick off the new year 2025, this Special Edition is spotlighting the women wrestlers and luchadoras who will make their mark.
Wrestling fans that would like to help out Espiritu Pro Wrestling Dojo star Yesenia Ruiz (aka Gema) with her medical expenses have an opportunity to do so through her GoFundMe.
As we talked about in the Best of 2024. Gema was in Barcelona at the RCW Women's International Tournament Finals representing Puerto Rico only to be eliminated due to a serious knee injury that will require surgery.
The Women of Espiritu Pro Wrestling Dojo
In almost seven years of existence, "El Escorpion" Mike Mendoza's Espiritu Pro Wrestling Dojo in the Hato Rey district in San Juan, Puerto Rico has been the proving ground for developing the Island's Next Generation of Superstars. Even the Women Wrestlers of Puerto Rico throughout recent years, have been making a name for themselves not just on Espiritu Pro's events, the Island's Major and Indy Pro Wrestling promotions' regular and big events as well as the promotions all across the wrestling world. Mendoza's female students are making strides. "La Brava Pelirroja" Yaide wrestled two years ago in WWC, then in rival IWA Puerto Rico and appeared in two SHINE Women's Wrestling events along with appearing for Florida's top indy promotions. In her two years as a pro, Nathalya Perez, the daughter of Los Boricuas founding member "El Malcriado" Miguel Perez, Jr and granddaughter of the late Jose Miguel Perez, Sr., now holds two women's Championships, the Espiritu Pro Wrestling Dojo's and Dominican Republic's DWE Women's World Titles. In 2024, Perez won the Genesis Rivera Memorial Cup at IWA Puerto Rico's 25th Anniversary Show, appeared at Wrestlecon's Mark Hitchcock's Memorial Supershow from the 2300 Arena during Mania week, and toured in Barranquilla, Colombia. Daisy Carrion (aka Daisy Lyn) is a part of 2 Hot 4 U with fellow EPWD graduates, Edrax Torres, Oscar Benabe, and Cesar Aldea. This new year, Carrion may win a Women's Championship. Elaine Negroni and Sayara Sanchez, both appeared in WWC last year, 2024. although Negroni appeared in Louisville, Kentucky as part of Ohio Valley Wrestling's Nightmare Rumble earlier this month."La Chica del Hola" Nahir Robes, is still going strong in Puerto Rico's Top promotions as well as in promotions all across America. As previously mentioned, Gema, who in her two years, has had a successful streak making a name for herself in Puerto Rico for EPWD and EWA, In America for OVW in Louisiville, in Mexico for IWRG, and recently in Europe for Barcelona, Spain's RCW in the International Women's Invitational Tournament only to be eliminated in the finals due to an Injury. Finally, but never least, "Magnificent" Iris Alyster, who has made a lot of waves throughout Puerto Rico as part of La Revolucion Femenina faction in the now-defunct LAWE, EWA, CWA, and appeared in WWC Florida, the now-dormant South Carolina Championship Wrestling and other US indys. Be on the lookout for these fierce Boricua luchadoras in 2025.
The four former WWE NXT Women wrestlers featured below were among the WWE talents released over the past few years. 2025 could be their best year ever.
Julissa Mexa and Valentyna Reis (fka Yulissa Leon and Valentina Ferroz)
Camron Branae (fka Amari Miller)
Since being let go last year from the WWE NXT brand, the former Amari Miller has been on a hot streak after returning to the Midwest Indys. Branae is also very popular on the WOW Superheroes show as Ashley Blaze, and even appeared on AEW and Ring of Honor Television, She also toured Stardom Women's Wrestling where she faced off with current WWE NXT star Chile's Stephanie Vaquer. Keep your eyes peeled for this young lady from St. Louis, Missouri throughout 2025.
The Notorious Mimi (fka Sloane Jacobs)
In almost three years since being let go from WWE NXT, the former Sloane Jacobs came back to the Northeastern independent scene and her old stomping grounds, the late Larry Sharpe's Monster Factory Pro Wrestling in Paulsborough, New Jersey. Sloane twice held the MFPW World Tag Team Championships with Travis Jacobs, held the promotions' Women's Championship three times and the Supersonic Championship once. Mimi also captured the Invictus Pro Wrestling Goddesses of War title and New Jersey's Titan Championship Wrestling Women's World Titles as well. Sloane fought the likes of two other former WWE NXT stars Carolina Cruz (fka Emma Diaz), and Sarah Baer, and twice squared off against current IWA Puerto Rico Women's World Champion "The Original Poison Ivy" Evie De La Rosa. 2025 might be the year Mimi may make her debut on the Island at one of IWA Puerto Rico's big events facing De La Rosa in her backyard.
We will continue with Part Two on the Women wrestlers/Luchadoras to watch in 2025 featuring La Mestiza, Patty Rey, Cassandra, Princesa Mitzy, The Andrade Dynasty's young and restless girls Lady Shadow and Gema as well as Valery Moreno, Daughter of El Oriental who is picking up the torch of her famous aunts, Cinthia, Rossy, Esther, and Alda Moreno. In the meantime, here are matches from women wrestlers to watch in 2025 Part I.