Thunder Rosa believes women in pro wrestling, and in sports in general, are still not paid equally. Rosa, an AEW star and the current Mexican National Women’s Champion, feels a lack of opportunities continues to be a problem in the industry.
In an interview with the I Love Wrestling Podcast released on Wednesday, Rosa was asked about the biggest challenges women face and joked that the question could get her in trouble. But Rosa, a former AEW Women’s World Champion, didn’t shy away from answering.
“… it’s 2026 and we’re still fighting for what is right,” Rosa said.
Rosa noted that, while some things have changed, others haven’t. She believes opportunities often come down to where a wrestler is from and where she stands on the roster.
Born in Tijuana, Mexico, Rosa said one of her challenges was getting promoters to see her as a pro wrestler and not just as a lucha libre stereotype.
Rosa credited the women who came before her with forcing the industry to change. She said they opened the door for wrestlers of any background to get opportunities based on their talent, and not just what they represent.
Rosa, the founder of the women’s promotion Mission Pro Wrestling, called out similar issues back in 2020, during her run as NWA World Women’s Champion. “You can pay a guy $600, but you can’t pay a girl just as talented as the guy $200 and a flight?” she asked promoters at the time.
