Thunder Rosa has looked back on one of the more unexpected viral moments connected to her wrestling career: her 2018 training video with Mia Khalifa.
The clip, which has continued to circulate regularly online years after it was made, came out of an independent wrestling event Rosa was helping run in Austin. Rosa explained that the opportunity began after Khalifa had been making dismissive comments about professional wrestling. Rather than simply letting the exchange remain online, Rosa reached out through Khalifa's manager and extended an invitation to learn more about the industry and appear at the event.
Rosa said the response was immediate and positive. Khalifa came to the wrestling school, participated in the video, and later attended the show itself. In Rosa's recollection, the collaboration was more than a social-media novelty. Khalifa's involvement helped bring people into the building and created a productive experience for the independent promotion.
“We were running a show in Austin, and she started talking all this crap about professional wrestling. I hit up her manager and was like, ‘Would she be interested in learning and being on the show?’ She was like, ‘Yeah, absolutely.’ She came to the school and we did the little video. She also came to the show and sold like 40 tickets for me. Mia, you are good in my book. It was really fun. She was super awesome with everyone. She brought all her friends and they helped on the independent show. That video goes viral like four times a year.”
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A viral moment with a practical purpose
Rosa's account puts the viral video in a broader local-promotional context. The footage may be remembered primarily for the sight of Rosa chopping Khalifa and introducing her to elements of wrestling training, but Rosa emphasized that it was tied to a real event and helped the show draw additional ticket buyers.
For independent wrestling promoters, visibility can be as valuable as a major storyline. A recognizable personality attending a show can introduce new fans to a promotion, give wrestlers additional attention, and create an opportunity for a smaller event to reach beyond its usual audience. Rosa said Khalifa sold approximately 40 tickets, a meaningful contribution for an independent card.
Rosa also made clear that her lasting impression was shaped by the way Khalifa handled herself around the people involved with the event. She described Khalifa as “super awesome with everyone” and said that she brought friends who also helped at the independent show. That experience has led Rosa to speak warmly about the collaboration whenever the clip returns to public conversation.
The continued life of the video is notable because it did not come from a major television platform or a heavily marketed celebrity angle. It was connected to grassroots wrestling work in Austin, where Rosa had been building her profile as a performer and promoter. Yet the combination of an established wrestler, a recognizable online personality, and the physical reality of wrestling training gave the clip staying power.
Rosa's independent wrestling roots remain central
Long before becoming one of AEW's most recognizable competitors, Thunder Rosa developed a reputation through extensive work on the independent scene. Her approach to wrestling has often reflected that background: direct, physical, community-minded, and willing to put time into projects outside of the largest stages in the industry.
That background gives important context to why she remembers the Khalifa appearance so positively. The situation was not presented as a detached celebrity cameo. In Rosa's telling, it became an active contribution to a show she was running, with Khalifa participating in the training video, attending the event, bringing people with her, and helping generate ticket sales.
It also reflects a common reality in independent wrestling. Promotions often rely on creativity and relationships to attract attention in competitive local entertainment markets. Wrestlers may be performers, trainers, promoters, marketers, and community representatives at different points in the same week. Rosa's decision to turn an online exchange into an invitation to visit the school and support a live event was a practical example of that kind of hands-on promotional work.
There is no indication from Rosa's remarks that the original interaction was intended to become a recurring wrestling angle or that Khalifa was pursuing a full-time in-ring role. The significance, instead, rests with the individual appearance and the impact it had for that Austin event. Rosa's comments focus on the fun of the experience and the assistance Khalifa provided, rather than presenting it as anything more than it was.
The clip continues to find new audiences
Rosa said the video goes viral “like four times a year,” underscoring how frequently older wrestling content can return to circulation. Social platforms routinely give new life to short clips, particularly those involving recognizable figures from outside wrestling. A video can be rediscovered by audiences unfamiliar with its original setting, then spread again as if it were new.
That cycle can sometimes lead to confusion around dates or context, but Rosa's recollection is straightforward: the video came from 2018 and was tied to an Austin independent show. Her comments also provide a fuller answer to viewers who have seen the clip without knowing what happened around it. The interaction led to Khalifa appearing at the event, helping sell tickets, and leaving Rosa with a favorable impression.
Rosa's willingness to revisit the moment speaks to the unusual durability of the footage. Viral material can reduce a situation to a few seconds, but the wrestler involved remembers the work around it: arranging the contact, welcoming a guest to the school, putting on the event, and seeing the direct benefit at the box office.
For Rosa, the bottom line is uncomplicated. She enjoyed working with Khalifa, appreciated the support for the independent event, and remains complimentary of the way the appearance unfolded. “Mia, you are good in my book,” Rosa said.
Thunder Rosa returns to AEW Dynamite action
While the 2018 video remains a recurring topic online, Rosa's immediate attention is on AEW competition. She is scheduled to wrestle on Wednesday's Dynamite, where she will team with Hyan against Britt Baker and Persephone.
The tag team bout places Rosa alongside Hyan against a pairing featuring Baker, one of the defining names in AEW's women's division, and Persephone. Rosa and Baker have substantial history within AEW, making any meeting between them noteworthy even in a tag team setting. The addition of Hyan and Persephone gives the scheduled match a different dynamic while still bringing Rosa and Baker back into direct proximity.
Rosa's presence on the card continues her role as an experienced and physical competitor in AEW's women's division. Whether she is discussing the independent work that helped shape her career or preparing for a televised match, Rosa has maintained a clear connection to wrestling at every level.
Her recollection of the Mia Khalifa video is ultimately a reminder that some of wrestling's most enduring online moments start far from a national arena. In this case, a challenge issued after online criticism became an invitation, a training session, a viral clip, and tangible support for an independent show. Years later, Rosa still sees it as a success.
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.