The memorable “La Chancla” moment from Zelina Vega’s match against Rhea Ripley at WWE Backlash in Puerto Rico (May 2023) almost didn’t happen, and its inclusion was significantly pushed for by Ripley herself, Vega revealed on the “Ring The Bell” podcast.
The sight of Vega wielding a flip-flop (chancla) against the formidable Ripley became an instant fan-favorite highlight of their emotional encounter. Vega explained the idea’s origin: “It wasn’t going to be initially, I wanted to give it to Rey [Mysterio] so that he can spank Dominik with it. That was my initial plan.” She and Rey Mysterio had discussed it for his WrestleMania match against his son. “And then we just didn’t talk about it again. And then I kind of jokingly brought it up for Backlash, and we’re just like, ‘No, we gotta do it for Rhea,’ because my aim is really shit.”
It was Rhea Ripley who championed its use in their match. “And she was like, ‘Yeah, no, we’re going to have to do it now.’ And I’m like, okay, but yeah, that was, that was she pushed for that the most. I think, like, I, I brought it up and, like, had the idea, but like, she was very adamant about doing it,” Vega stated.
The Puerto Rico match was an incredibly emotional experience for Vega, who was performing in front of a passionate home crowd. “Throughout that whole match, I don’t remember anything other than emotion,” she shared. “It just felt like a roller coaster of like insanity.” The chancla spot added a unique, culturally resonant, and memorable element to the highly charged atmosphere.
The popularity of “La Chancla” was so significant that it even made its way into WWE’s video games. “It was so popular, ended up in the game, I know, which is crazy,” Vega said. “Like, the fact that you can make such an impact to a point where it changes the game. Like, that’s insane to me.” She mentioned that fellow wrestler Dakota Kai even joked about wanting to use the sandal as a weapon in the game instead of a hammer.
Vega also touched upon her unique dynamic with Rhea Ripley, who is actually her neighbor. “She’s my neighbor, bro. Like, she lives literally across the street from me… I lived there first, and then she moved next to me,” Vega revealed, humorously adding, “That’s how much she is obsessed with me.” This off-screen proximity adds another layer to their on-screen interactions and the collaborative effort behind moments like the “La Chancla” debut.
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit Ring The Belle with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
