NXT fans have been waiting for Legado Del Fantasma to show up on the main roster ever since the group's leader Santos Escobar lost a match that saw him banished from NXT. Escobar showed up outside the building the following week and picked up the rest of the group. However, at some point during the six weeks it took for the faction to leave NXT and find SmackDown, they lost a member.
Replacing Elektra Lopez
Legado debuted on SmackDown last week, but something was different. While its three male members remain the same, its female component has been replaced. Zelina Vega is now a part of the group, and Elektra Lopez is nowhere to be seen. Not only that, but WWE hasn't even mentioned her, nor does the rest of the group appear to be all that bothered that Vega has appeared and Lopez has vanished.
The latest edition of Wrestling Observer Newsletter may have shed some light on why WWE made the switch. Apparently, the original plan was for Lopez to remain a part of the group. So much so that the NXT star had a plane ticket to Worcester, Massachusettes, the city in which Legado made their main roster debuted. However, the decision was made to switch her out for Vega at the last minute.
Zelina Vega's Matches With B-Fab
As for the reason behind that, Hit Row has a part to play in that. Legado's first feud on the main roster is with Hit Row, a group they have a lot of history with. That feud will include matches between their respective female members, so B-Fab and Vega. Since B-Fab is relatively inexperienced in the ring, WWE decided to have someone with more matches under their belt opposite her.
That woman is Vega, as Lopez is also pretty inexperienced when it comes to in-ring action. While a singles bout between B-Fab and Lopez in NXT might not have been an issue, doing so on a bigger platform with millions of people watching would have been a risk. Vega can lead her matches with B-Fab and potentially do the same if Lopez ever gets the call-up and attempts to take back her spot in Legado.
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