Zelina Vega Bio
Thea Megan Trinidad Büdgen (born December 27, 1990) performs in WWE under the ring name Zelina. She is a veteran of the independent scene, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling and WWE, known for managerial roles and multiple championship runs.
Early Life and Background
Thea Trinidad was born on December 27, 1990, in the Queens borough of New York City. She is of Afro-Latin Puerto Rican descent and grew up watching professional wrestling with family, citing Rey Mysterio and Lita among her early inspirations.
Her father, Michael Angel Trinidad, died in the September 11 attacks, a loss she has spoken about publicly and which influenced her early life and charitable involvement. She practiced swimming and baseball at school and later pursued wrestling training as a teenager.
Path to WWE
Trinidad began training in wrestling as a teenager and made her professional debut on February 20, 2010, competing under ring names such as Divina Fly and Snookie Fly on the independent circuit. She trained with multiple coaches and promotions before gaining broader exposure through appearances in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling and various international promotions.
Her work on the independent scene and international tours, including matches in Mexico and Japan, led to a WWE tryout in 2013 and eventually a contract in 2017. In WWE she first appeared in NXT as Zelina Vega, initially serving as a manager before moving to main-roster storylines.
Zelina Vega Career
Early Career (2010–2013)
Trinidad debuted on the independent circuit in 2010 at age 19 and spent her early years working for promotions such as National Wrestling Superstars, Women Superstars Uncensored and Family Wrestling Entertainment. She split time between in-ring competition and developing her character work while training under several coaches.
Her independent run included tours and matches that built her experience in singles and tag team competition, establishing a foundation that opened doors to larger promotions. She also began appearing in videos and other media that raised her profile outside live events.
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling Breakthrough (2011–2013)
Trinidad signed with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling in 2011 under the ring name Rosita and became part of a storyline stable called Mexican America. Teaming with Sarita, she captured the TNA Knockouts Tag Team Championship, marking her first notable title on a national stage.
During her TNA tenure she defended the tag titles multiple times and participated in televised storylines through 2012. Her contract with TNA expired in early 2013 and she returned to the independent scene, continuing to refine both her in-ring and on-mic skills.
Independent and International Work (2013–2017)
Between 2013 and 2017 Trinidad worked across the independent circuit and abroad, including appearances for Ring of Honor, Shine Wrestling and World Wonder Ring Stardom in Japan. These stints broadened her wrestling style and introduced her to new audiences while she maintained momentum as both a competitor and manager.
Her multifaceted work included managing other wrestlers and performing in singles matches, showcasing a versatility that made her an attractive candidate for WWE recruitment. She also built a presence in other media, including video game appearances and documentary features.
WWE Breakthrough (2017–2022)
Trinidad signed with WWE in 2017 and debuted on NXT as Zelina Vega, where she primarily worked as the on-screen manager for Andrade “Cien” Almas. Her role included in-ring appearances and frequent interference that helped establish Almas as a main event talent while spotlighting Vega’s character work.
After moving to the main roster, she competed on SmackDown and Raw in singles and tag matches, appeared at major pay-per-view events and participated in high-profile multi-woman matches. In late 2019 and 2020 she competed in the Royal Rumble and other marquee matches before a release in November 2020 that drew attention for its context around creator-owned content and third-party platform control.
WWE re-signed her in July 2021 and she quickly returned to televised competition, entering the Money in the Bank ladder match and winning the inaugural Queen’s Crown tournament at Crown Jewel in October 2021. The Queen’s Crown victory led to a short-lived “Queen Zelina” persona and increased prominence on Raw and pay-per-view shows.
WWE Tag Team and Singles Success (2021–2023)
On Raw, Zelina and Carmella won the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship in November 2021, marking Zelina’s first title in WWE. The team held the belts for 131 days before losing them at WrestleMania 38 in a multi-team match.
Her subsequent run included alliances with stables such as Legado Del Fantasma and a character turn that saw her trade between heel and face alignments depending on storyline needs. She also competed in Money in the Bank and Royal Rumble matches and challenged for major singles titles.
WWE Era (2024–Present)
In early 2025 Zelina transferred to SmackDown and in April 2025 captured the WWE Women’s United States Championship, her first singles title in WWE. She retained the title in a rematch at a televised event in May before dropping the championship to Giulia in June after a 63-day reign.
Following the 2025 title run, storyline developments included a career moment assisting her real-life husband in a high-profile Last Man Standing match and a ring name adjustment shortening her billed name to Zelina. These moves reflect ongoing character evolution and continued placement in significant weekly programs.
In-ring Style and Strengths
Zelina Vega combines agility and lucha-influenced offense with strong character work and mic skills developed through managerial roles and promos. She adapts her approach to singles, tag and managerial contexts and often uses ring psychology and timely interference to advance storylines.
Notable Matches and Milestones
Key milestones include winning the TNA Knockouts Tag Team Championship, the Queen’s Crown tournament, the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship with Carmella and the WWE Women’s United States Championship in 2025. Her role managing Andrade and later alliance with Legado Del Fantasma are recurring highlights of her career.
Zelina Vega Career Wins
Throughout her career Trinidad has collected championships and tournament victories across multiple promotions. Her titles span TNA’s Knockouts Tag Team gold and WWE tag and singles championships, supplemented by noteworthy tournament and event wins that mark turning points in her career.
WWE Highlights
In WWE, Trinidad is a former WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion and won the Queen’s Crown tournament, earning the “Queen Zelina” moniker. In 2025 she captured the WWE Women’s United States Championship, marking her first singles title in WWE television history.
TNA and Independent Achievements
Early in her national career she held the TNA Knockouts Tag Team Championship with Sarita, an accomplishment that established her on televised national programming. Her independent and international work includes title opportunities and high-profile matches that paved the way for her WWE signing.
Zelina Vega Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Trinidad comes from a family with wrestling ties; she is a cousin of wrestler Amazing Red. Her personal history includes public discussion of her father’s death on September 11, a formative event for her family and public life.
Personal Life
In 2018 Trinidad married fellow professional wrestler Tom Büdgen, known in WWE as Aleister Black, and they reside in Tampa, Florida. She is active in social media, streams gaming content, identifies as a vegan athlete and participates in charitable projects tied to her personal history.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season saw Zelina transferred to SmackDown and renewed singles momentum with a WWE Women’s United States Championship win in April. That title run, which included a televised rematch retention in May, helped re-establish her as a singles competitor on weekly programming.
She lost the championship to Giulia in late June and has since been involved in storyline shifts that include a high-profile assist for her husband and a ring name shortening to Zelina. Heading forward, her season arc centers on rebuilding a sustained singles push while remaining an adaptable performer in tag and faction storylines.
