Roxanne Perez has made it clear that she values the connection WWE Superstars share with their supporters, but she believes that connection requires boundaries.
Speaking about the increasingly common issue of fans attempting to meet wrestlers away from sanctioned appearances, Perez addressed the distinction between public fan experiences and the private moments performers have while traveling. Her message was not one of hostility toward fans. Instead, Perez emphasized that wrestlers can deeply appreciate the people who support them while still needing personal space at airports, hotels, and other locations connected to life on the road.
“First off, I love my fans so much. I love all of the fans,” Perez said. “We wouldn’t be able to do what we do without the fans.”
The WWE star’s perspective carries an added layer because she grew up as a wrestling fan herself. Perez said she understands the excitement that comes with seeing a favorite performer in person, receiving an autograph, or taking a photo. For many fans, those interactions can be meaningful and memorable. Perez does not dismiss that enthusiasm. She recognizes why supporters want those opportunities and why meeting a wrestler can feel important.
For more background on this topic, read Donovan Dijak Says an Early WWE Signing Would Have Made Him a ‘Completely Different’ Wrestler.
At the same time, she said that where and when an interaction takes place matters.
“I think these fans, they love what we do, they respect us so much. They admire us,” Perez said. “It is a big deal when they get to meet us and they get their picture signed. But it’s also, like, we just gotta be careful on where we do it and when we do it.”
Public appearances provide the appropriate setting
Perez pointed to WWE arenas and organized opportunities as the proper places for fans to seek interaction with talent. At those events, performers are appearing in a professional capacity, and fans have a defined location through which they can meet WWE Superstars. Those environments are built around the relationship between the audience and the wrestlers, whether that means seeing a live match, attending a designated appearance, or taking part in an official meet-and-greet setting.
“We obviously have the arenas,” Perez said. “The arenas are where we show up. There’s an exact location where you go and meet and meet the WWE superstars. That’s always what I did when I was a kid.”
That point is central to Perez’s comments. She is not arguing that fans should avoid approaching WWE talent altogether. Rather, she is advocating for interactions to occur in spaces intended for them. A venue appearance creates an expectation that talent will be visible and accessible to the public. The same cannot automatically be said for a hotel lobby, an airport terminal, or a moment when a performer is trying to navigate the demands of travel.
WWE Superstars routinely work demanding schedules that require them to move from city to city, arrive at venues, handle media and promotional obligations, compete or appear on programming, and then continue on to the next destination. Perez noted that hotels effectively become a temporary home for performers during those stretches. Airports can also be high-pressure environments, particularly when wrestlers are trying to make flights on time.
“When we are on the road, our hotels are our home,” Perez said. “When we’re running late for a plane and trying to catch our flight, and it does break my heart to tell people no, but at the same time, we do have to respect everybody’s privacy.”
Appreciation and privacy are not opposites
Perez’s remarks push back against the idea that a wrestler declining a photo, autograph, or conversation in a private setting is a rejection of fans themselves. She acknowledged that it can be difficult to say no to someone who is excited to meet her. Still, she stressed that a performer’s need for privacy should not be interpreted as a lack of gratitude.
That distinction is especially relevant in an era where fans can quickly learn about travel schedules, hotel areas, and other details surrounding a wrestling event. The opportunity to encounter talent outside an arena may feel spontaneous or special for a fan, but it can place performers in an uncomfortable position. Wrestlers are public figures in their professional roles, but that does not erase their right to move through everyday situations without being expected to stop and engage.
Perez framed wrestlers as people first, even while acknowledging the larger-than-life status that comes with being on WWE television.
“We are just humans. We are WWE superstars but we are just humans,” Perez said. “We’re trying to live our life while also trying to make the fans happy.”
It is a straightforward point, but an important one. The relationship between wrestling fans and wrestlers is often unusually personal because the industry thrives on emotional investment. Fans follow performers week after week, react to their stories, celebrate victories, debate rivalries, and often develop long-term admiration for the people they watch. WWE’s live-event atmosphere also makes direct audience participation a major part of the experience.
That passion is part of what makes wrestling distinct. But Perez believes passion should be paired with an understanding of personal limits. Being recognizable does not mean a performer is available at every moment, and being a devoted fan does not create an obligation for a wrestler to stop while handling private travel or personal responsibilities.
Perez asks fans to recognize “a little bit of a line”
Perez did not call for a complete separation between talent and fans. In fact, she repeatedly underscored how much performers rely on and care about the WWE audience. Her appeal was for a reasonable dividing line that allows fans to enjoy official opportunities while allowing wrestlers to maintain a sense of normalcy away from them.
“But there’s gotta be some line,” Perez said. “That doesn’t mean we don’t appreciate our fans at all. I just think there needs to be a little bit of a line. But we do love you guys, OK?”
The tone of Perez’s message was as significant as the message itself. She did not characterize all fans as a problem, and she did not suggest that enthusiasm is unwelcome. Instead, she drew attention to the difference between respectful fandom and conduct that can intrude on a wrestler’s private time. The responsibility, in her view, is to recognize that boundary before an interaction becomes uncomfortable.
For fans hoping to meet WWE talent, Perez’s comments offer a clear guideline: official WWE settings are the best and most appropriate avenue. Arenas and announced fan experiences are places where supporters can celebrate the performers they follow, while wrestlers can participate knowing they are there specifically to connect with the public. Outside of those settings, an athlete or entertainer may be tired, late, with family or colleagues, dealing with travel complications, or simply trying to have a quiet moment.
Respecting a “no” is also part of that equation. Perez said it breaks her heart to turn people down, which reflects the value she places on her supporters. Yet a refusal in a hotel or airport should be understood within the context she described: the performer may be managing a situation that the fan cannot see.
A timely conversation for WWE’s touring environment
The discussion comes as WWE continues to place its Superstars in front of audiences through weekly television, premium live events, live touring, promotional appearances, and fan-focused events. Those opportunities give fans many ways to support and interact with the company’s roster. Perez’s comments do not diminish that connection. They argue for protecting it by making sure it remains respectful for everyone involved.
A healthy relationship between fans and talent depends on mutual consideration. Fans want to show appreciation for the work wrestlers put into the ring and on screen. Wrestlers, meanwhile, understand that fan support is essential to their careers and to WWE as a whole. Perez’s point is that neither side of that relationship is served when private spaces are treated like extensions of an arena.
The September 14 edition of WWE Raw further reflected the constant pace attached to WWE’s schedule, with Superstars continuing to balance their on-screen responsibilities with the travel that comes with being part of the company’s roster. Perez’s comments serve as a reminder that the people seen on television remain people once they leave the building.
Ultimately, Perez’s request is modest: support WWE Superstars, enjoy the official opportunities to meet them, and remember that travel and lodging are not automatically part of the fan experience. Her appreciation for the audience is unmistakable. So is her belief that fans and wrestlers alike benefit when there is, as she put it, “a little bit of a line.”
Darryl Polo
Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.