Lola Vice Biography: The Complete Story of Valerie Loureda’s Journey from Bellator MMA to WWE NXT Champion

Lola Vice, whose real name is Valerie Loureda, is an American professional wrestler and former mixed martial artist born on July 19, 1998, in Miami, Florida. A Cuban-American athlete and taekwondo black belt, she competed in Bellator MMA before signing with WWE in August 2022, later becoming a one-time NXT Women’s Champion and the first female Cuban-American wrestler to win a title in WWE history.

Lola Vice has emerged as one of WWE NXT’s most talked-about crossover stars, combining a legitimate combat sports pedigree with natural charisma. This biography covers her early life, education, MMA career, WWE journey, achievements, personal life, and current status — everything you need to know about who Lola Vice is and how she became famous.

Quick Facts About Lola Vice

Early Life and Education

Valerie Loureda was born on July 19, 1998, in Miami, Florida, into a family deeply rooted in martial arts. Her father, Frank Loureda, ran a taekwondo academy in Miami that he operated for roughly 35 years, and he also worked as a stunt performer in action films, according to an interview Loureda gave on WWE’s Hall of Fame podcast with Booker T.

Growing up, martial arts was not optional in the Loureda household — it was tradition. Loureda has stated that every member of her immediate family holds a black belt in taekwondo, and she herself became a 5th dan black belt while still young. She trained extensively in taekwondo before her father’s guidance pushed her toward competitive combat sports, and she was affiliated with U.S. Olympic-level taekwondo training before pivoting to mixed martial arts.

For higher education, multiple biographical sources indicate Loureda attended Florida International University in Miami, balancing her academic path with an increasingly demanding training schedule at American Top Team, the renowned MMA gym also home to fighters like Jorge Masvidal. This dual foundation — disciplined academic life alongside elite combat training — became the backbone of her transition into professional sports.

Lola Vice Family Background

Loureda’s mother also has a background in martial arts and dance, and by Loureda’s own account, her mother offered enormous emotional support throughout her competitive journey, reportedly attending training sessions even during pregnancy. Loureda has two sisters, and she has described her upbringing as a household where physical discipline and academic achievement were treated as equally important.

Career Journey: From Taekwondo to Bellator MMA

Amateur Roots and Taekwondo Foundation

Before ever stepping into a cage or a wrestling ring, Loureda built her competitive credentials in amateur taekwondo, earning her black belt and competing at a national and international level. This striking background — sharp kicks, spinning attacks, and fast footwork — would later define her fighting and wrestling style.

Bellator MMA Career (2019–2021)

Loureda turned professional in mixed martial arts in 2019, signing with Bellator MMA and competing in the flyweight/bantamweight divisions. Her professional MMA record stands at 4 wins and 1 loss. Here is her fight-by-fight timeline:

• February 16, 2019 – Bellator 216: Defeated Colby Fletcher via technical knockout (TKO) in Round 1, marking her professional MMA debut.
• June 14, 2019 – Bellator 222: Defeated Larkyn Dasch by unanimous decision.
• August 7, 2020 – Bellator 243: Defeated Tara Graff via technical knockout.
• May 21, 2021 – Bellator 259: Suffered her only professional loss, falling to Hannah Guy by unanimous decision.
• November 12, 2021 – Bellator 271: Defeated Taylor Turner by split decision, her final professional MMA bout.

Throughout her Bellator tenure, Loureda trained alongside high-profile fighters at American Top Team and built a large social media following, which grew substantially after her early victories. Despite reportedly receiving lucrative offers from other major fight promotions, she made the decision to pursue a new direction entirely.

The Transition to WWE (2022)

In March 2022, during WrestleMania 38 weekend, Loureda attended a three-day WWE tryout camp. The tryout impressed WWE officials enough that, by August 2022, she had signed a contract and reported to the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida, to begin training under coaches including Shawn Michaels and Sara Amato.

WWE officially unveiled her new performer class that August, and by December 2022, she had adopted the ring name Lola Vice — a name inspired by the television series Miami Vice, chosen to reflect both her Miami roots and her aggressive, confident in-ring persona.

WWE NXT Career Timeline

Debut and Early Development (2022–2023)

Lola Vice made her first in-ring appearances at NXT house shows in late 2022, including a Halloween-themed live event battle royal. Her televised debut came on the January 27, 2023, episode of NXT Level Up, where she faced Dani Palmer in a losing effort — a common developmental step for new signees building ring experience.

2023 NXT Women’s Breakout Tournament

Lola Vice’s first major milestone arrived when she entered the 2023 NXT Women’s Breakout Tournament, a showcase event for rising talent. She advanced through the bracket and defeated Kelani Jordan in the tournament finals on October 31, 2023, earning a contract that guaranteed her an NXT Women’s Championship match whenever she chose to cash it in.

Vengeance Day and NXT Underground (2024)

At NXT Vengeance Day on February 4, 2024, Vice cashed in her championship contract during an ongoing NXT Women’s Championship match between then-champion Lyra Valkyria and Roxanne Perez, turning it into a triple threat. She was ultimately pinned by Valkyria and left without the title.

Following this, Vice became a prominent figure in NXT Underground — a shoot-style, no-disqualification match format — where she notably defeated main roster veterans Natalya and Shayna Baszler, results that significantly boosted her credibility with the NXT audience.

Face Turn and Title Pursuit (2024)

By mid-2024, Lola Vice’s storyline shifted. On July 7, 2024, at NXT Heatwave, she unsuccessfully challenged Roxanne Perez for the NXT Women’s Championship but delivered an emotional post-match promo detailing the hardships of her life before WWE, which triggered a face turn (a shift from villain to fan favorite). Days later, she defeated Jacy Jayne, only to be attacked by Fallon Henley and Jazmyn Nyx, cementing her new babyface standing with the crowd. WWE recognized her progress by naming her among the nominees for “Most Improved Wrestler” in the 2024 NXT Year-End Awards.

AAA Crossover and Tag Team Gold

Lola Vice also became a fixture in Lucha Libre AAA, WWE’s Mexican partner promotion, where she was written into a storyline involving Mr. Iguana and La Hiedra. On the January 31 AAA broadcast, Mr. Iguana — serving as special guest referee — ruled in Vice’s favor, positioning her to replace La Hiedra in a championship rematch. On the February 7 episode, Vice and Mr. Iguana defeated Ethan Page and a returning La Hiedra to capture the AAA World Mixed Tag Team Championship, her first title win in professional wrestling.

NXT Women’s Championship Victory

Lola Vice’s signature career achievement came at NXT Stand & Deliver, where she defeated Jacy Jayne and Kendal Grey in a triple threat match to capture the NXT Women’s Championship. This victory made her a double champion across two promotions simultaneously and, notably, made her the first female Cuban-American wrestler to win a title in WWE history — a landmark distinction for representation within the company.

Her reign, however, was relatively short-lived. At NXT The Great American Bash: Orlando, Vice lost the NXT Women’s Championship to Kendal Grey in the main event, ending her title reign at 85 days.

Major Achievements and Notable Work

Lola Vice’s résumé blends combat sports credibility with in-ring wrestling success:

1. 4-1 professional MMA record in Bellator MMA (2019–2021)
2. 5th dan black belt in taekwondo, with a family legacy in the discipline
3. Winner, 2023 NXT Women’s Breakout Tournament
4. NXT Women’s Champion (85-day reign) — first Cuban-American woman to hold a WWE title
5. AAA World Mixed Tag Team Champion alongside Mr. Iguana
6. 2024 NXT Year-End “Most Improved Wrestler” nominee
7. Notable NXT Underground victories over established veterans Natalya and Shayna Baszler

Personal Life

Lola Vice has generally kept the details of her romantic life private since entering WWE, and various tabloid-style sources over the years have offered conflicting reports about her relationship status — none of which she has consistently confirmed through official channels. What she has spoken about publicly, particularly in interviews and WWE promos, is her family’s health struggles and their martial arts legacy, including emotional references to challenges her mother faced that shaped her resilience.

She is of Cuban descent, born and raised in Miami, and continues to credit her father’s taekwondo academy and her family’s discipline-first upbringing as the foundation of her athletic career.

Net Worth and Influence

Estimates of Lola Vice’s net worth vary depending on the source and year of estimation, ranging from roughly $800,000 during her early Bellator years to more recent estimates between $1 million and $1.8 million, factoring in her WWE contract, past MMA purses, sponsorship deals (including a past partnership with Monster Energy), and modeling work. As with most active WWE performers, exact contract figures are not publicly disclosed by the company, so these numbers should be treated as informed estimates rather than confirmed figures.

Beyond direct earnings, Lola Vice’s influence is tied to her crossover appeal: she represents a growing trend of legitimate combat athletes — following figures like Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler — transitioning successfully into scripted professional wrestling while retaining credibility for their striking and grappling ability.

Legacy and Current Status

As of 2026, Lola Vice remains an active performer on WWE’s NXT brand while continuing her recurring role in Lucha Libre AAA, making her one of the few current WWE talents holding championship gold across two separate promotions during her career. She has been positioned in continued title contention, including reportedly earning a shot at the NXT Women’s Championship around NXT No Mercy 2025.

Her legacy within WWE is still being written, but her breakout tournament win, her historic NXT Women’s Championship reign as the first Cuban-American female titleholder, and her AAA tag title victory have already cemented her as a significant figure in the current NXT women’s division and in Hispanic representation within WWE storytelling.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)