WWE Superstar Raquel Rodriguez just got real about a deeply personal health battle that’s been affecting her inside and outside the ring.
During a sit-down on INSIGHT with Chris Van Vliet, Rodriguez revealed she’s been struggling with a severe illness that doctors believe might be Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS)—and it nearly took everything from her.
“So I never really got a full diagnosis to be honest with you,” she shared. “They said it was mast cell activation syndrome, but I got tested and that didn’t come out positive.” MCAS, which causes the body to react with random allergic responses, even to things you were never allergic to before, sent Rodriguez into a downward spiral—physically and mentally.
At first, she thought it might be a reaction to makeup after noticing eczema on her face. But things spiraled fast. “Your body is just so confused… now you just have a sensitive nervous system, and your body is just reacting to anything, like auto-immune,” she explained.
Rodriguez described the terrifying unpredictability of the illness. “It’s a puzzle. I’m still trying to figure it out… I think I have a little bit of mast cell, even though I wasn’t tested for it… my body just reacts at random times.” That chaos turned into isolation. “A year ago I was swelling up. It was to the point where I was unrecognizable to myself,” she admitted. “I avoided mirrors. I avoided cameras. I avoided phones… I was just in such a dark place physically… taking such a big toll on me mentally.”
It wasn’t just the physical pain—Rodriguez thought her career was slipping away. Competing at WWE Elimination Chamber while battling symptoms pushed her to a breaking point. “I just started bawling again because I remember being in that moment… face swollen… having to take a steroid shot… I just felt weak. I just felt so helpless and so weak… deep down, it was really, really hard for me.”
Still, she found strength in the people around her—especially her niece and close friends like Liv Morgan. “My six-year-old niece is praying for God to take the redness away… Liv constantly checking on me… Just really, really amazing people… but it was something I had to get through by myself, for sure.”
Rodriguez kept her mindset forward-facing. “I told myself I cannot stay here… this isn’t forever. I have to tell myself that it’s gonna get better.” And despite everything, she’s still standing—fighting her way back both personally and professionally.
Rodriguez’s story is a reminder that even the toughest athletes can be fighting something no one sees.
What’s your reaction to Raquel’s emotional story? Do you think WWE should shine more light on what stars go through off-camera? Drop your thoughts and show some support in the comments.
