Zelina Vega creative pitches for WWE Bakersfield Brawl were ultimately denied by officials, as the WWE star attempted to push the limits for her match against Piper Niven on WWE SmackDown in Bakersfield. Instead, Vega’s ambitions for daring spots, including a Tron dive and wielding a barbed wire chancla, were firmly dismissed, with producers citing the need for safety and event pacing.
Zelina Vega’s Desire for an Extreme Bakersfield Showdown
During a recent appearance on the Lightweights podcast, Zelina Vega shared insight into her creative process before stepping into her first hardcore match, facing off against Piper Niven in Bakersfield. Despite a lengthy wrestling career beginning at 17, Vega revealed that, surprisingly, she had never been in a hardcore contest until now at age 34. She admitted her excitement to finally take part in such a stipulation, only to realize WWE had certain restrictions in place for the occasion.
“My first hardcore match ever. So funny to say, cause I’ve been doing this since I was 17, I’m 34 now. Yeah, never did a hardcore match ever. It just wasn’t presented to me like, ‘Oh, this is what we’re doing today’ until like this week. I was like, ‘Oh, can I jump off the tron?’ They’re just like, ‘No, no you can’t. We still need to save some oohs and aahs for Money In The Bank tomorrow and you need to just live, you know?’”
—Zelina Vega, WWE Star
Vega also brought up her admiration for high-flying performers such as Jeff Hardy. She repeatedly asked if she could use ladders or attempt riskier moves, but WWE kept her ideas in check due to the proximity of the Money In The Bank premium event, where similar stunts are a signature draw. The company wanted to avoid over-delivering high-risk moments on back-to-back nights and to ensure her safety ahead of the next big show.
Ambitious Plans Repeatedly Declined
Undeterred by initial refusals, Vega continued to propose inventive spots to make the Bakersfield Brawl stand out. She recounted pitching the use of the event’s ladders or jumping off various structures. Her creativity and eagerness to put on an unforgettable show for the WWE Universe clashed with the company’s priorities.
“I’m like, ‘Eventually, I’m going to do it.’ I was a huge Jeff Hardy mark when I was a kid, like ridiculous. So, anything that he’s done, I just want to do that at some point. I don’t care what it takes or what it looks like, I want to do that. I even asked — they set up some of the ladders and I was like, ‘Can I use the ladders? Can I jump off the ladders?’ They were like, ‘No, we need to save some of it for tomorrow, like we can’t just give everything away the day before.’ Which makes sense, but I was also like — it was like a playground for me. I was just like, what can I do, what can I do? Everyone thinks I’m crazy, but I was just like, ‘No, I want to make this really good and just see how we can make it different.’ They called it a Bakersfield Brawl, so I was like, there’s no specifics so what could we really do here?”
—Zelina Vega, WWE Star
Vega’s suggestions did not stop at aerial maneuvers. In a nod to her cultural background and sense of humor, she even asked if using a barbed wire chancla would be permitted for extra spectacle. That idea, too, was shut down, with a clear reminder that blood and extreme violence would not be part of the bout’s dramatic presentation.
“I was like, ‘Can we put barbwire on a chancla?’ They’re like, ‘No.’ They’re like, ‘No blood, no guts, just take it easy.’”
—Zelina Vega, WWE Star
WWE’s Recent and Upcoming Developments
As Zelina Vega attempted to elevate her match experience in Bakersfield, the WWE Universe saw other major moves and surprising moments unfold across the company. WrestleMania 41 brought speculation about which superstar might face Randy Orton after Kevin Owens’ injury forced him out. Aleister Black revealed on Le10Sport that his name was internally discussed to potentially answer Orton’s open challenge, but the company had alternate plans, and Joe Hendry filled the spot instead. Black would later return to WWE on the post-WrestleMania 41 edition of SmackDown, narrowly losing to Orton in a King of the Ring Tournament Fatal Four-Way match involving LA Knight and Carmelo Hayes.
Randy Orton’s continued role as a top-tier competitor has generated buzz, as has the presence of figures like John Cena, Roman Reigns, and LA Knight on recent programming. Meanwhile, other entities—such as TKO Group Holdings, the parent company of WWE and UFC—grow in influence in the wrestling and combat sports spheres.
Not just within the ring, the intersection of WWE and mainstream sports culture continues. Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton, a known WWE enthusiast, admitted to reporters that he limits his social media usage except when checking on WWE updates during the NBA Finals run. His passion for wrestling is reflected in his appearances on WWE NXT and SmackDown in the past.
Athletes and Executives Discuss Risk and Innovation
Beyond Zelina Vega’s efforts to spice up her Bakersfield Brawl, Nick Khan, WWE’s top executive, recently addressed safety and brand management in another context. On the What’s Your Story? podcast, Khan recounted reaching out to PENTA following a viral TikTok where PENTA expressed interest in bull riding—a nod to Professional Bull Riders (PBR), which shares a parent company with WWE. Khan discouraged the wrestling star from risking his health in such pursuits, underlining the company’s responsibility to protect its talent from unnecessary danger.
“PENTA was asked, ‘If you weren’t a wrestler, what would you do?’ And he goes, ‘Do you know PBR? That’s what I’d want to do. I’d want to ride bulls.’ I said, ‘Please, no bull-riding. We love the enthusiasm and it’s great for the PBR brand, but we need you safe.’”
—Nick Khan, WWE President
This perspective aligns with the reasoning behind declining Zelina Vega’s more hazardous creative pitches, from high dives to barbed wire props. For WWE, balancing crowd-pleasing innovation with athlete well-being and planned event highlights like Money In The Bank is an ongoing challenge.
Looking Forward: Will Zelina Vega Realize Her Vision?
Zelina Vega’s creative energy and commitment to delivering memorable moments for the WWE Universe highlight her as one of the more inventive minds among today’s roster. Although her quest to redefine the Bakersfield Brawl met with organizational caution, the company’s refusal of her more extreme suggestions stems from both safety and event storytelling priorities. As major names—including Carmelo Hayes, LA Knight, John Cena, Randy Orton, Roman Reigns, and others—keep the WWE landscape competitive and unpredictable, Vega’s drive could lead to more distinctive, headline-grabbing action in the future.
Only time will tell if WWE’s requirements will evolve to accommodate her grandest ideas or if Vega will find another opportunity, perhaps on a bigger stage, to execute a daring Tron dive or bring even more creative elements to her performances. With upcoming premium events, rising stars, and cross-sport interest intersecting in arenas and across social media, the world of sports entertainment continues to shift, promising fans new surprises—and possibly, eventually, a barbed wire chancla moment for Zelina Vega.
