In a fun historical fact, former WWE NXT star Karissa Rivera (Elektra Lopez) revealed that she was actually a part of the very first All Elite Wrestling show in a unique, non-wrestling capacity. Speaking on the “Muscle Memory” YouTube channel, Rivera shared her small but memorable role from the early days of AEW.
Before she signed with WWE, Rivera was an active independent wrestler who had also done extra work for Ring of Honor and Impact Wrestling. As AEW was getting started in 2019, she found herself at their inaugural event.
When discussing her journey through various wrestling promotions, Rivera shared the little-known tidbit. “I actually, for the first show of AEW was there as well,” she said. “I didn’t wrestle, but I actually rang the bell ringside. So funny.”
This reveal places her at a historic moment for AEW, even if it was behind the scenes. Her journey through the wrestling business eventually led her to multiple WWE tryouts before she was officially signed to the NXT brand. There, she became known as Elektra Lopez, “La Madrina” of the Legado Del Fantasma faction.
After a successful run in NXT and a brief appearance on the main roster, Rivera was released from her WWE contract. Now a free agent on the independent circuit, her past experience working in various roles for nearly every major North American wrestling promotion showcases her long and diverse career in the industry.
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit Muscle Man Malcolm with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
