Credit: WWE.com
Stephanie Vaquer’s surprising appearance on WWE NXT on September 9, 2025, marked a significant moment in ongoing cross-brand storylines, as the Raw star invaded the development brand with heavy hitters Tiffany Stratton and Rhea Ripley to confront the dominant Fatal Influence faction. This main roster-backed incursion has WWE fans buzzing, raising the stakes ahead of the forthcoming Women’s World Championship match at WrestlePalooza.
Vaquer’s Mysterious Raw Absence and Sudden NXT Invasion
Just one day prior to her NXT appearance, Stephanie Vaquer was notably missing from the September 8 edition of WWE Raw. Originally scheduled for a contract signing with IYO SKY for their highly anticipated vacant Women’s World Championship match, Vaquer’s sudden absence led to the event’s cancellation, stirring speculation about her status. Raw General Manager Adam Pearce later confirmed the championship bout would still proceed as planned despite the hiccup.
Courtsey of this unexpected gap, Vaquer resurfaced on NXT’s September 9 show, seemingly to lock horns with NXT Women’s Champion Jacy Jayne and her Fatal Influence faction. This move was interpreted backstage as a strategic decision by WWE management to reinsert Vaquer into the conversation and build momentum for her WrestlePalooza title pursuit.
“Stephanie’s NXT appearance was part of a larger creative plan to blur the lines between brands and elevate the women’s division across the board,” a WWE insider explained. “Bringing in Tiffany and Rhea alongside her was also meant to underline the main roster’s dominance and amplify the stakes heading into next month.”
Clash of Titans: Vaquer, Stratton, and Ripley vs. Fatal Influence
The intense segment unfolded during the final moments of NXT, where Jacy Jayne proclaimed herself the greatest NXT Women’s Champion ever, lamenting that Fatal Influence was excluded from the upcoming NXT Homecoming special. Vaquer’s response was swift and personal reminding Jayne that she held both the NXT Women’s and North American titles simultaneously and pledged to capture the Women’s World Championship at WrestlePalooza.
However, Jayne tried to leverage numbers by pointing out Vaquer was outnumbered. But the odds quickly shifted as Tiffany Stratton, the reigning WWE Women’s Champion, appeared to rebuke Jayne’s claim and joined Vaquer. Not to be sidelined, powerhouse Rhea Ripley arrived to officially even the numbers.
Ripley’s challenge was clear: if Fatal Influence wanted to be part of NXT Homecoming, they would have to prove themselves in a six-woman tag team match against the trio from the main roster.
The impassioned confrontation culminated with the main roster team Vaquer, Stratton, and Ripley clearing the ring of Fatal Influence, their combined presence reinforcing the upcoming storyline prominence of the women’s divisions on both brands.
Stephanie Vaquer’s Rising Star and WWE’s Strategic Positioning
Stephanie Vaquer’s arrival and rapid ascent in WWE has been noteworthy. After signing with WWE and making her in-ring debut at a house show in Mexico City earlier in July 2025, she quickly gained ground by defeating established names like Women’s Tag Team Champion Isla Dawn[2]. Previously a major star in CMLL, where she held both the World Women’s and Tag Team titles, Vaquer has steadily transitioned into a main event player within WWE’s ecosystem.
Her double-champion status in NXT earlier this year demonstrated her versatility and appeal to WWE’s talent development team[3]. Now, her alignment with main roster stars on NXT marks a deliberate push to elevate her as a crossover threat—someone who can unify and energize the company’s women’s wrestling landscape.
According to sources close to WWE creative, Vaquer’s temporary absence from Raw was not injury-related but rather part of a subtle storyline delay to build intrigue. The surprise NXT invasion was designed to surprise fans and elevate the tension in the women’s title scene leading up to WrestlePalooza.
The Broader Context: WWE’s Cross-Brand Women’s Division Evolution
This invasion is emblematic of WWE’s recent trend toward blurring the lines between brands and putting the spotlight on women’s wrestling more prominently. With the women’s division growing in star power exemplified by Tiffany Stratton’s championship reign and Rhea Ripley’s continued prominence WWE is signaling intentions to create more inter-brand storylines with higher stakes and crossover appeal.
Triple H, WWE’s Chief Content Officer, has underscored this strategy in recent interviews, emphasizing that women’s wrestling is a cornerstone of WWE’s future plans and that bringing such stars together on different platforms bolsters fan engagement across all shows.
As the WWE Universe anticipates WrestlePalooza, where Vaquer and IYO SKY will finally settle their championship rivalry, the fallout from Tuesday’s chaotic NXT encounter sets up a compelling narrative of dominance, rivalry, and brand pride.
What’s Next? Six-Woman Tag Team Match and WrestlePalooza Build-Up
The announced six-woman tag team match between Fatal Influence and the trio of Vaquer, Stratton, and Ripley for the NXT Homecoming special offers a crucial preview of how this cross-brand angle will unfold. It will test Fatal Influence’s legitimacy and set the tone for the continued feud between factions as the Women’s World Championship feud heads toward its WrestlePalooza climax.
Fans and insiders alike recognize that WWE’s decision to integrate Raw and NXT talents in such high-profile matches shines a light on key players like Vaquer and helps produce fresh, exciting content amidst an increasingly competitive wrestling landscape.
As one WWE backstage source put it, “This isn’t just an invasion storyline. It’s WWE’s way of ushering in a new era for the women’s division, where the best from any brand get to stake their claim and wrestle on the biggest stages.”
