Not ready to be dethroned: A look back at the dominant championship reign of “La Princesa” Tiffany Nieves

April 20, 2024 - Tiffany Nieves enters the ring at MPW Mania.

All eyes of Mission Pro Wrestling fans are on tomorrow night’s Summer Lovin’ main event, where MPW Champion and NWA star Tiffany Nieves will defend her title against the fast-rising sensation Izzy Moreno. Many of Moreno’s fans – her “BFFs” – expect the teen influencer to overcome Nieves and become the new MPW Champion. But, despite Moreno’s momentum and continued improvement in the ring, it would be foolish for fans of Izzymania to look past Nieves, who is just three weeks shy from becoming the longest reigning Mission Pro Wrestling Champion.

“She has NO IDEA what is coming,” Nieves posted on X.com on June 3 about her upcoming match against Moreno. 

“La Princesa” Tiffany Nieves will enter the ring tomorrow night on the 308th day of her title reign. She has successfully defended her championship – often using unconventional tactics – in more matches than any previous MPW champion, both during MPW events and while representing MPW in other promotions. Izzy Moreno’s drive and fan support may not be enough for her to overcome Nieves on Saturday. 

Saturday’s match will be Moreno’s second attempt at dethroning Nieves after coming up short in her first Mission Pro Wrestling Championship challenge against La Princesa in November 2023 at WrestleCade. However, since that defeat, Moreno has grown in confidence along with in-ring ability, and feels sure that tomorrow night’s match will be different.

“She’s getting an Izzy Moreno that is prepared for Mission Pro Wrestling Summer Lovin,’” Moreno promised in a June 3 video posted on social media. 

However, preparation and motivation may not be enough for Moreno to overcome Nieves.

The star power of Nieves was apparent from the moment she entered the scene at Mission Pro Wrestling. She made her MPW debut in March 2022 at No Debes Jugar in Conroe, TX, in a pre-show match against Diego Renay. Carrying the Puerto Rican flag and accompanied by Pibull’s The Anthem, Nieves made her way to the ring “giving us something strong in her attitude,” as Sam Leterna remarked on commentary. La Princesa scored the pin over Renay with the help of a handful of her opponent’s tights. From her very first match, Nieves showed that she had no problem creating success for herself by any means necessary.  

March 5, 2022 - Tiffany Nieves hits Diego Renay with a low blow during her MPW debut in Conroe, TX. (Image courtesy of Title Match Network.)

After continuing to make a name for herself in other wrestling promotions around the country, Nieves returned to Mission Pro Wrestling in December 2022 at MPW’s Silver Bells 2 and defeated Dogg Pound Dojo protege Mystii Marks. 

Nieves would go on to carve a path of destruction in Mission Pro Wrestling in her quest to make it to the top. 

In June 2023, Nieves defeated Emmy Camacho at MPW True Colors to become the #1 Contender for the Mission Pro Wrestling Championship. 

This would lead Nieves to a match against Mission Pro Wrestling Champion Jennacide in August 2023 at Boiling Point. Nieves would end the match in typical controversial fashion by putting the MPW title around Jennacide’s neck and delivering a devastating “Eat Defeat” outside of the referee’s view. This brutal finisher proved to be too much for the champion to endure. Nieves scored the pinfall to become the new MPW Champion, ending Jennacide’s record-tying 329 day reign. The Tiffany Nieves era of Mission Pro Wrestling had begun.

August 12, 2023 - Tiffany Nieves holds up her newly-won MPW Championship at Boiling Point. (Image courtesy of Title Match Network.)

Since that shocking night, Nieves has overcome all opponents who have tried to take her title. The means Nieves uses to secure these victories are often underhanded but are quite effective. The champion recently secured the support of Mission Pro Wrestling co-founder Thunder Rosa, who helped Nieves cheat to win in a heartbreaking victory over challenger Rache Chanel at Mission Pro Mania. 

Rosa, however, will not be in Nieves’ corner on Saturday night, since “La Mera Mera” was recently booked by AEW for a last-minute obligation. With Thunder Rosa away, many Izzy Moreno fans hope that tomorrow night’s bout will be a more fair fight for Moreno. However, fans should remember that Nieves has proven to be effective even without backup. 

On Saturday, fans will find out whether or not the Tiffany Nieves era is over, or if her reign is just getting started. Nieves is not ready to go away quietly, and plans to squash Izzy Moreno’s momentum on Saturday to continue as a dominant Mission Pro Wrestling Champion.

Nieves has cemented her wrestling legacy in both MPW and many other promotions around the country. She is a cancer survivor, an accomplished athlete and – no matter how you feel about her ethical choices in the ring – someone who gives the fans 100 percent at every show. 

No matter what happens tomorrow night at Summer Lovin’, Tiffany Nieves will always be “La Princesa” of Mission Pro Wrestling. 

Tickets for Mission Pro Wrestling’s Summer Lovin’ are on sale now. You can also stream the event live on Title Match Network.