Who is Raquel Rodriguez's father? Meet the 32-year-old star's inspiration for signing with WWE

Raquel Rodriguez has always mentioned that her passion for the industry comes from her roots. She grew up on the road, not only watching wrestling Latino legends like Rey Mysterio and Eddie Guerrero but also supporting her own father's wrestling career.

Rick González was an independent wrestler in southern Texas during the late 80s and 90s. He gained the nickname Speedy González during training sessions for his fast-paced fighting style. Although he enjoyed his profession, spending extended periods away from home was hard, especially after having two daughters with his wife. However, he agreed to return with a new character, Rick "Desperado" González, who embodied his Mexican heritage and was a popular gimmick in WWA.

Raquel Rodriguez has often commented on how inspirational her dad's wrestling legacy has been in her career. She mentioned on Rio Sports Live that watching her dad and the other wrestlers work was something she loved and has always wanted to do.

As she got older, her love for the business grew, and after a brief basketball career with her dad as her coach, she switched to pro wrestling.

“When [Victoria] was 4 or 5 and in the crowd, she would always like it, but as she got older like 6 or 7, my wife and my other daughter would drop us off at the arenas and she would go in there with me. A lot of the wrestlers would know her as well as some promoters. That’s when I had an ‘Oh no’ feeling,” Rick once said. [H/T Rio Sports Live]

The former basketball player worked hard to become a top contender in the women's division, making her father proud. Since her move to the main roster and with her most recent win alongside Liv Morgan, many believe she has a bright future in the industry.

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When was the last time Raquel Rodriguez won a title in WWE?

Rodriguez began her WWE ascent in 2016 when she was assigned to NXT. She competed under the ring Reina González and made sporadic appearances on episodes between 2017 and 2019. In 2020, she returned to NXT as an enforcer for Dakota Kai.

Raquel Rodriguez quickly established herself as a dominant force in the women's division. She had her first premium live event, TakeOver: In Your House, where she, Kai, and Candice LeRae ultimately lost in a six-woman tag team match.

Kai and Rodriguez briefly held the NXT Women's Tag Team Title after losing their first title defense in just 56 minutes. In 2021, Raquel Rodriguez defeated Io Shirai (Iyo Sky) at NXT: TakeOver: Stand & Deliver to become the new NXT Women's Champion.

Later that year, she could not retain her title after losing to Rose in a Trick or Street fight, where Kai returned to interfere and end her reign at 201 days.

The former NXT Women's Champion premiered on SmackDown's main roster on April 8, 2022. Raquel Rodriguez made her first appearance in a segment backstage under her current ring name and, in the following weeks, won her first match against Cat Cordoza.

Since then, she has been a regularly performing star and appeared at WrestleMania 39 when she teamed up with Liv Morgan. With her impressive strength and athleticism, she has the potential to be a rising star in the women's division.