On the special September 10 episode of WWE SmackDown, Zelina Vega was set to compete in what would have been a particularly meaningful match. Vega, like numerous others, suffered an unspeakable tragedy during the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York City, as she lost her father.
Earlier this fall, WWE ran a “Super SmackDown” taping at New York’s Madison Square Garden, nearly 20 years to the day of the attacks. If Vega wrestled on the show, it would have given her a chance to perform in her hometown on a remarkably emotional occasion. Instead, her match got cut from the show at the last minute in a decision that upset fans throughout the wrestling world.
In a new interview with Alex McCarthy of talkSPORT, Vega looked back on the situation; she acknowledged the fans’ frustration but called it “misguided” because she knew her match being cut wasn’t a personal slight. She then revealed that Vince McMahon personally apologized to her for this outcome.
“A lot of people were really upset, but I felt like a lot of the anger was misguided,” said Vega. “I was disappointed, but I also knew it wasn’t a personal thing.
“If you knew, and obviously a lot of the fans don’t know that the show goes in an order, the way that it went timewise, it got too close and they had to cut it. When it got cut, Vince called me and apologised because he wanted to make sure that I knew ‘listen, this wasn’t done to you personally or anything, it was literally just this [the time], I had to make that call and I’m so sorry.’ And people don’t know that side either.”
Vega then thaked their fans for their “outpouring of love” in response to her match getting cut, and she expressed her gratitude for their general support.
“I love and appreciate my fans so, so much. I wish I could just squish their little faces. Because sometimes people can feel like they’re part of the machine and it’s no big deal and the fans probably don’t give a crap, but the outpouring of love I felt that day – and a bunch of other days to – is incredible.
“Without the fans we’d literally be nowhere. Just know it wasn’t something done personally to me. To have a boss to care enough to call you and go ‘look I’m sorry’, that’s important.”
Vega went on to reach new heights after the 9/20 episode of WWE SmackDown; at WWE Crown Jewel on October 21, she won the inaugural Queen’s Crown Tournament. She’s set to compete as a member of Team RAW at WWE Survivor Series.
RELATED: Zelina Vega Recalls How ‘Papa H’ Helped Her In NXT, Looks Back On ‘Magical’ Pairing With Andrade
