Roxanne Perez recently revealed that WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels challenged her to “sink or swim” during her NXT debut.

Perez made her first appearance on NXT in April 2022, defeating Jacy Jayne in a match that had its time cut. Despite the challenge, she impressed and quickly rose through the ranks, becoming NXT Women’s Champion less than a year later.

Speaking to Fightful during a media call, Perez reflected on that debut moment:

“I remember Shawn Michaels telling me, ‘All right, we’re throwing you in the deep end. You can either sink or swim.’ And I think I swam, I swam pretty well.”

Perez also discussed adjusting to the differences between NXT and WWE’s main roster. Now competing as a heel, she noted that her experience in NXT under Michaels’ guidance has prepared her for the next step in her career.

“I think Shawn Michaels does an absolutely great job at preparing us for the main roster," she said. "Everything that I have done well in NXT, I am bringing up with me. I still got my same attitude.”

Perez recently faced Raquel Rodriguez, a significant challenge given their size difference. She embraced the opportunity, adapting her in-ring strategy but keeping her signature edge.

“I think I slapped the taste out of her mouth a couple of times, which I thought was kind of funny, and I ended up with the win,” she added.

Roxanne Perez is one of six competitors in the Women’s Elimination Chamber match, set to take place on March 1 in Toronto, Canada.