The rise of women’s wrestling in WWE started at the NXT Performance Center with many future Hall of Famers perfecting their craft. Names like Charlotte Flair, Sasha Banks, Bayley and Alexa Bliss have credited the Performance Center for either starting them off in wrestling or teaching them the tools needed to succeed after having minimal experience elsewhere.
One name who always gets love for her role as a trainer in the Performance Center is Sara Del Rey. Many WWE fans have realized she became a top teacher for the future of women’s wrestling, but she had her own career before this. The impressive performances of Sara outside of WWE made her one of the best women’s wrestlers ever despite never competing on the biggest stage.
Sara Del Rey's Career Before WWE
The state of women’s wrestling in WWE is often discussed when looking at all the positive changes over the past six years. However, WWE’s business model essentially dictated how the market of wrestling would follow for most of the time between WCW’s end and AEW’s start, due to a lack of other major promotions. Most independent shows would book one women’s match at most, with many not having any female talents at all.
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Sara Del Rey was trying to make her name and become a fixture in the wrestling world when fewer opportunities existed. Ring of Honor was the biggest indie company to book Del Rey, when they were the distant third top promotion in the United States far behind WWE and TNA. Sara still managed to deliver strong results there with the limited options.
ROH had their Women of Honor division, with the early mainstays of Del Rey, Daizee Haze and Lacey trying their best to build something special. Sara did her best to have strong matches whenever given the chance and thrived in a managing role for the tag team of Chris Hero and Cesaro as the Kings of Wrestling.
The time away from ROH was what allowed Del Rey to work longer matches. Sara wrestled internationally in Japan and Mexico to continue improving, and it showed with her versatile work. The all-women promotion SHIMMER thrived most with Del Rey having classic matches. Even the forgotten indie Chikara highlighted Sara’s talent against male wrestlers with matches against their main eventers.
Sara Del Rey Is Responsible For Training WWE's Women
The opportunity to join WWE didn’t come in the way Sara Del Rey initially wanted when starting her wrestling career. WWE adding the likes of Daniel Bryan and CM Punk to huge success created hope for other independent wrestlers to get a shot. Despite many top names getting hired to wrestle for the biggest promotion, WWE added Del Rey for a different role behind the scenes.
Sara became a top coach at the Performance Center to help the future stars of the industry. New performers like Charlotte Flair, Alexa Bliss and Bianca Belair all had no experience before WWE. Del Rey’s coaching played a huge role in them picking up the sport and progressing to reach the stage where they are today as top names for WWE.
Even more impressive, the names with some experience on the independent circuit benefited from working with Sara to find their groove. Sasha Banks, Bayley and Becky Lynch have all said positive things about Del Rey and her presence in their journeys. WWE even spotlighted Sara in a way that most coaches don’t during various women’s wrestling highlights in NXT.
Sara Del Rey's In-Ring Legacy Is Still Strong
Sara Del Rey seems more than happy to have retired from the in-ring aspect of wrestling to become just as good behind the scenes. However, any fans to truly witness her best matches on the independent circuit know just how talented she was.
Del Rey made believers of women's wrestling when many fans heading into the show probably couldn't care less. ROH respected Sara enough to squeeze her into a storyline before joining WWE for her final match teaming with Eddie Edwards to defeat Mike Bennett and Maria Kanellis.
The age of Del Rey at 40 and almost a decade since having her final match could see a return to the ring or a one-time appearance one day. However, it seems unlikely given how much Del Rey enjoys training behind the scenes. Sara still deserves to get her respect for having classic matches at a time when it was harder to receive that opportunity and for becoming an underrated all-time great.
