Lola Vice has barely settled into Monday Night Raw, and Vince Russo’s podcast has already found a problem with her presentation. On a September 25 episode of “Vince Russo’s The Brand,” Russo and fellow wrestling veteran Bin Hamin discussed Vice’s first promo as a Raw roster member.

Hamin turned her account of learning to dance and fight into a sexual joke, then questioned how women wrestlers can ask to be taken seriously while presenting themselves that way. The criticism was aimed at her appearance and character, rather than her results in the ring.

Lola Vice in WWE Raw

Vice gave the promo on September 21, when Raw general manager Adam Pearce introduced her as the show’s newest signing. She said her mother had taken her to dance and gymnastics classes while her father taught her to fight. It was a short explanation of the act WWE has put on television as dancing and combat sports are both part of it. Roxanne Perez interrupted before the introduction could go much further, and the two had a confrontation ahead of Money in the Bank.

Hamin was the one who delivered the remark drawing attention. After repeating Vice’s line about being an “ass-kicker,” he said, “Now, let’s see your ass cheeks some more and throw them into somebody’s face.” The quote comes from Russo’s podcast. Russo and Hamin then moved into criticism of how women on the show dress and wrestle. Describing that entire exchange as a quote from Russo would put Hamin’s words in the wrong mouth.

Bellator MMA Athlete Valerie Loureda

There’s a reason Vice’s dance-and-fight pitch isn’t a character invented for this Raw segment. Born Valerie Loureda, the Miami native competed in Bellator MMA before joining WWE’s NXT system. Her Cuban background and Miami connection have remained part of the Lola Vice persona. Before she became Lola Vice, Valerie Loureda fought five professional MMA bouts for Bellator, finishing with a 4-1 record and two knockout or technical-knockout wins.

Mandatory Credit: Bellator MMA

She trained with American Top Team and holds a black belt in taekwondo, so the fighting side of her Raw introduction comes from experience outside WWE. After her final Bellator bout in November 2021, she attended a WWE tryout in 2022 and signed with the company later that year.

The promo gave viewers unfamiliar with NXT a quick introduction, even if the podcast hosts weren’t buying it. Her move to Raw has produced more than talking points. Vice made her main-roster in-ring debut on September 14, beating Raquel Rodriguez and NXT champion Kelani Jordan in a triple threat match to qualify for the women’s Money in the Bank ladder match.

On September 28, after the podcast episode appeared, she beat Perez with her spinning backfist. Rodriguez attacked her after the bell, and Perez joined the ensuing beatdown when Sol Ruca tried to make the save. Vice and Perez are both headed to Money in the Bank on October 10.

Vice City

There’s also a separate naming wrinkle around her arrival. WWE filed to trademark “Vice City” on August 4, then expressly abandoned the application on September 2; the withdrawal was processed on September 21. The paperwork gave no reason. Fans had wondered about the name’s association with Grand Theft Auto, but there is no documented finding that a conflict with the game caused WWE’s decision.

WWE has continued using “Vice City” in connection with Vice, while its trademark for “Lola Vice” remains active. As for how fans see Russo, there isn’t one community verdict to attach to this exchange.

A discussion on r/SquaredCircle about his career includes harsh criticism of his work alongside comments crediting him for past booking decisions and for giving women more time in TNA.