Lola Vice biography tells the story of a decorated combat athlete who walked away from lucrative offers across the fighting world to sign with WWE — and made history in the process. Born Valerie Loureda, Lola Vice became the first Cuban-American wrestler ever signed by WWE, bringing a legitimate background in mixed martial arts and taekwondo into NXT’s women’s division and quickly establishing herself as one of the most dangerous strikers on the entire roster.
This complete Lola Vice biography covers her taekwondo and Bellator MMA career, her transition into professional wrestling, her historic 2026 NXT Women’s Championship win, her rivalry with Kendal Grey, and everything you need to know about one of WWE’s most unique athletic crossover stories.
Table of Contents
Lola Vice Biography — Quick Facts
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Real Name | Valerie Loureda |
| Ring Name | Lola Vice |
| Date of Birth | July 19, 1998 |
| Age | 27-28 Years Old (2026) |
| Birthplace | Miami, Florida, USA |
| Heritage | Cuban-American (first Cuban-American WWE signee) |
| Billed Height | 5 ft 4 in (163 cm) |
| Billed Weight | 127 lbs (58 kg) |
| Martial Arts Background | 5th Dan Taekwondo Black Belt, Former Bellator MMA Fighter |
| MMA Record | 4 Wins, 1 Loss |
| Trained By | Sara Amato, WWE Performance Center |
| WWE Debut | November 12, 2022 (house show), January 27, 2023 (TV) |
| Current Brand | NXT |
Lola Vice Biography — Early Life and Taekwondo Roots
Every Lola Vice biography starts with martial arts running through her family. Valerie Loureda was born on July 19, 1998, in Miami, Florida, to a family with genuinely elite combat sports credentials — her father is a taekwondo master, and according to Vice herself, every member of her family holds a taekwondo black belt alongside a college degree, a detail she revealed during a hometown promo ahead of NXT No Mercy in 2025.
Loureda followed that family tradition and then surpassed it, becoming a 5th dan black belt in taekwondo and earning a spot on the United States Olympic Taekwondo team before ever stepping into a professional fighting cage. That elite striking foundation would go on to define her entire combat sports career — first in MMA, and later inside a WWE ring.
Lola Vice Biography — Bellator MMA Career
Before ever considering professional wrestling, Loureda built a genuine mixed martial arts career, training with the respected American Top Team gym and competing as a flyweight in Bellator MMA from 2019 to 2021. Her fighting style leaned heavily on her taekwondo background, and she became known for highlight-reel striking — finishing two of her four professional wins by knockout. She finished her MMA career with a 4-1 professional record, establishing herself as one of Bellator’s most recognizable and marketable young female fighters thanks to both her fighting style and her growing social media presence.
Lola Vice Biography — Signing With WWE Over Other Offers
In 2022, Loureda made a decision that surprised much of the MMA world. According to WWE’s own official profile of her, Vice chose to sign with WWE instead of several lucrative offers from major fighting promotions — a genuinely rare move for an active fighter with real momentum in her combat sports career. WWE clearly saw something special, and Loureda’s transition into professional wrestling began almost immediately at the Performance Center under the guidance of trainer Sara Amato.
She competed in her first live event on November 12, 2022, at an NXT house show in Orlando, teaming with Xyon Quinn and Bronco Nima in a losing effort. In December 2022, she officially adopted the ring name Lola Vice — a name deliberately chosen to honor both her Miami roots and Cuban heritage, drawing inspiration from the iconic Miami Vice television series while the “Vice” element reflected her aggressive, combat-driven in-ring persona. Her televised debut came on the January 27, 2023 episode of NXT Level Up against Dani Palmer.
Lola Vice Biography — NXT Women’s Breakout Tournament Champion
Vice’s first major milestone came in 2023 when she won the NXT Women’s Breakout Tournament, defeating Dani Palmer in the first round, Karmen Petrovic in the semifinal, and Kelani Jordan in the final at Halloween Havoc on October 31. The victory earned her a future NXT Women’s Championship opportunity and immediately established her as one of the division’s top rising prospects, with her MMA background giving her matches a distinctly different, more grounded physical style than most of her opponents.
Lola Vice Biography — Dominating NXT Underground
Where Lola Vice truly separated herself from the rest of the NXT roster was in NXT Underground matches — a stipulation that strips away traditional wrestling rules in favor of genuine shoot-style combat, playing directly into her real fighting background. On June 9, 2024, at NXT Battleground, she defeated former NXT Women’s Champion Shayna Baszler via knockout in an Underground bout held inside the actual UFC Apex facility — a genuinely significant win that legitimized her as one of the most dangerous competitors in the entire division. She followed that win by submitting Jaida Parker at NXT Deadline on December 7, 2024, extending her undefeated Underground record to 3-0 and further cementing her reputation as a calculated, dangerous predator inside that format.
Lola Vice Biography — Historic NXT Women’s Championship Win (2026)
The defining moment of Lola Vice’s career to date came at NXT Stand & Deliver 2026, where she defeated Jacy Jayne and Kendal Grey in a Triple Threat Match to become NXT Women’s Champion for the very first time. The win made her the first Cuban-American woman to hold the NXT Women’s Championship — a genuinely historic achievement that reflected both her in-ring ability and the significance of her background within WWE’s talent pipeline.
Her reign continued through the first half of 2026 before she was defeated by the very woman she beat to win the title — Kendal Grey — at NXT The Great American Bash on June 28, 2026. The two competitors have continued their rivalry since, including a high-profile NXT Underground rematch on August 4, 2026, keeping their feud as one of the most closely watched storylines in NXT’s women’s division.
Lola Vice Biography — AAA World Mixed Tag Team Championship
Beyond her NXT accomplishments, Lola Vice has also competed through WWE’s partnership with Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide, capturing the AAA World Mixed Tag Team Championship — adding an international championship credential to her growing résumé and further showcasing WWE’s confidence in her as a crossover star capable of representing the company across multiple promotions.
Lola Vice Career Highlights & Achievements
- 🏆 Former NXT Women’s Champion (won at Stand & Deliver 2026)
- 🏆 AAA World Mixed Tag Team Champion
- 👑 First Cuban-American wrestler signed by WWE
- 👑 First Cuban-American NXT Women’s Champion
- ⭐ 2023 NXT Women’s Breakout Tournament Winner
- ⭐ Undefeated in NXT Underground matches (3-0), including a KO win over Shayna Baszler
- 🥋 5th Dan Taekwondo Black Belt
- 🥋 Former US Olympic Taekwondo Team Member
- 🥊 Former Bellator MMA Flyweight Fighter (4-1 professional record)
- 🎬 Turned down multiple fighting promotion offers to sign with WWE
Lola Vice Biography — FAQ
What is Lola Vice’s real name?
Lola Vice’s real name is Valerie Loureda. She was born on July 19, 1998, in Miami, Florida, and adopted the ring name Lola Vice in December 2022 upon signing with WWE, drawing inspiration from Miami Vice to honor her hometown and Cuban heritage.
Was Lola Vice a real MMA fighter?
Yes, Lola Vice competed professionally in Bellator MMA’s flyweight division from 2019 to 2021, compiling a 4-1 record with two knockout wins. She is also a 5th dan taekwondo black belt and former member of the US Olympic Taekwondo team.
Did Lola Vice win the NXT Women’s Championship?
Yes, Lola Vice won the NXT Women’s Championship at NXT Stand & Deliver 2026, defeating Jacy Jayne and Kendal Grey in a Triple Threat Match, becoming the first Cuban-American woman to hold the title. She lost the championship back to Kendal Grey at NXT The Great American Bash on June 28, 2026.
Why did Lola Vice choose WWE over MMA?
According to WWE’s official profile, Lola Vice turned down several lucrative offers from major fighting promotions to sign with WWE in 2022, choosing professional wrestling as her next challenge despite having an active and successful MMA career at the time.
What is Lola Vice’s ethnicity?
Lola Vice is Cuban-American, born and raised in Miami, Florida. She made history as the first Cuban-American individual ever signed by WWE, a distinction she has spoken about in interviews including with Fightful.com.
Final Verdict — Lola Vice Biography
This Lola Vice biography tells the story of a genuine crossover athlete who brought real combat credibility into a WWE ring at a time when the company was increasingly valuing legitimate fighting backgrounds. From a taekwondo black belt family in Miami to a Bellator MMA career to becoming the first Cuban-American NXT Women’s Champion in history, Valerie Loureda’s path into professional wrestling has been defined by authenticity that few of her peers can match. According to WWE’s official Lola Vice profile, she chose professional wrestling over multiple lucrative fighting promotion offers — a decision that has already paid off with championship gold.
With her ongoing rivalry against Kendal Grey continuing to headline NXT programming through 2026, and her undefeated NXT Underground record showing no signs of slowing down, Lola Vice remains one of the most compelling and athletically credible stars on WWE’s entire roster.
For more wrestling biographies and the latest WWE news, keep following WrestleRadar. Also check out our guides on Kendal Grey Biography, NXT Women’s Championship History, and Liv Morgan Biography.
Alex Jordan is the creator and lead author of Wrestleradar.com, where he covers wrestling news, match breakdowns, and behind-the-scenes insights with passion and detail. With a strong eye for storytelling and industry analysis, Alex delivers content that keeps wrestling fans informed, engaged, and entertained.
