Raquel Gonzalez Wanted To Create 'Something Different And Special' With Io Shirai

Raquel Gonzalez says she and Io Shirai wanted to create 'something different and special' in their NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver Night One main event.

Gonzalez won the NXT Women's Championship from Shirai in the headline match from the first night of last week's NXT TakeOver, ending Shirai's lengthy reign with the belt. 

The Title win marked a massive year with the black-and-gold brand for Gonzalez, who had been told she was not ready to debut on NXT's first live television show in October 2019, and the new champion says her and Shirai wanted to build her lack of experience into the match. 

Gonzalez would hail her opponent as the 'best in the world' after the incredible match. 

Speaking to Sports Illustrated, she said:  "Io is the best in the world. She must know that, but she’s still so humble. She’s out there, she’s creative, she’s different. I love working with her, and we’re both of the same mindset to create something that was worthy of an NXT TakeOver main event.

"I told her she’s so crazy for the things she’s willing to do. Jumping off the cage at WarGames with a trash can over her head. Jumping off that skull last week. And she said, “You’re the crazy one, you take it!” We work really well together, and I was grateful to share the ring with her.

“We wanted to create something different and special. As a big powerhouse, it’s hard to not be in control. But it’s different with Io. The way that she fights, she can be in control. That’s something she can do. And I was the underdog. I’ve read the comments. I know people think I’m still green. I definitely am still learning, and that was something we wanted to put in our story.

"It’s an honour for me to work with Io, someone who has so much experience. So the match showed that even a dominant force can get knocked down, but it’s all about how you recover. That’s something we were able to tell in our match."