Thunder Rosa, whose real name is Melissa Cervantes, transitioned from a career as a social worker to becoming a prominent figure in professional wrestling, currently competing for All Elite Wrestling (AEW) and Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL).
Cervantes stated that she decided to pursue professional wrestling 13 years ago after attending wrestling events and feeling it was a natural next step. She described the initial draw to wrestling as a combination of its theatrical elements and athletic demands. Despite having no prior significant sports background, she embraced the challenge.
"I feel like the call was like – it was going to be a bigger platform," Cervantes told Fox News Digital. "I just decided to go and do a tryout and after I did the tryout, I fell in love with professional wrestling."
Her training involved starting from the basics, learning body control, gymnastics, and foundational elements of various sports. She noted the necessity of working harder than her peers, often being the only woman in her training classes. The realization that wrestling commitments were encroaching on her day job marked the point at which she felt a career in wrestling was feasible, particularly after securing her first contract with Lucha Underground.
Cervantes joined AEW in 2020, initially defending the National Wrestling Alliance Women’s Championship on "Dynamite." She later achieved the AEW World Women’s Championship, defeating Britt Baker in a cage match, and became the fifth woman to hold that title before relinquishing it due to a back injury.
She expressed pride in contributing to the growth of women's wrestling, highlighting the expansion of AEW and the increased opportunities for female athletes. Cervantes also commented on the evolving landscape of professional wrestling, where different companies are collaborating, which she believes has permanently altered the industry.
Looking ahead, Cervantes remains focused on upcoming events, including Grand Slam in Mexico City. She continues to advocate for women and children, a cause she emphasizes as highly important to her. She also expressed a desire to regain championship gold while acknowledging the importance of the journey itself.
"I continue to work extremely hard every single day to be better at my craft. I continue to work really, really, really hard outside of professional wrestling to advocate for women and for young children because I think that's something very, very important and to advocate for my community," Cervantes said. "Right now, we're going to focus, like laser focus, on Grand Slam in Mexico City. Then, there's some big things happening in September, October during Dia de Los Muertos and like all that stuff."