Bellator’s Valerie Loureda Signs Multiyear Deal With WWE

Bellator MMA fighter Valerie Loureda is headed to WWE, signing a multi-year with the company. Loureda confirmed to ESPN that she had officially signed a deal with the company and will report to the WWE Performance Center on July 19th.

Loureda, who was in attendance at WrestleMania 38, sparked speculation that she would be signing with the company when she trained at the Performance Center in May. Bellator told ESPN in a statement that she will remain under contract with the company but will be a full-time WWE talent.

Loureda told the outlet, “I’m an entertainer. I love glamour. I love production, I love storytelling. And when I saw the WWE, I realized this is everything I’m good at in one place. Not only that, but I saw the opportunity to be the first Cuban American woman to be a WWE superstar.”

The now-former MMA fighter also spoke with Ariel Helwani on the MMA Hour and confirmed she will stay under contract to Bellator. Bellator head Scott Coker told ESPN in a statement:

“Valerie Loureda is a very young and talented athlete who can accomplish plenty in MMA for years to come, but for now we wish her the best of luck as she pursues her dream of becoming a WWE Superstar. She will remain an active and under-contract fighter with Bellator, and we look forward to welcoming her back into the cage in the near future. We take great pride in allowing our athletes to test themselves in additional arenas such as boxing and pro wrestling.”

Loureda tweeted following the announcement:

I am honored to become the first Cuban American woman in history to sign with the WWE. I come from a family of immigrants, now it’s my time to represent our Latin culture, I was destined for this. Thank you for this opportunity @WWE @WWENXT I will make you proud. AZUCAR! #305 pic.twitter.com/sQ351nuxR8

— Valerie Loureda (@valerielouredaa) June 29, 2022