Former WWE Champion Makes Surprise Appearance at NXT Homecoming
Released superstar Shayna Baszler appeared on the NXT Homecoming special, offering advice to the tag team of Sol Ruca and Zaria during a backstage segment.
Shayna Andrea Baszler ( BAYZ-ler; born August 8, 1980) is an American professional wrestler and a former kickboxer and mixed martial artist. She is best known for her tenure in WWE, where she became a two-time and longest combined-reigning NXT Women's Champion and a three-time WWE Women's Tag Team Champion.
Baszler was trained in mixed martial arts (MMA) by former UFC fighter Josh Barnett and in catch wrestling by Billy Robinson. She had her first professional MMA fight in 2006 and later gained recognition for her skills as a submission grappler. Baszler was signed by the UFC in 2013 for the reality television series The Ultimate Fighter – she would go on to have two professional bouts (0–2) in the company. In 2015, she was cut from the UFC and started her professional wrestling career that same year, being trained by Barnett again. After spending some time on the independent circuit and World Wonder Ring Stardom, Baszler signed with WWE in 2017. She would go on to become a two-time NXT Women's Champion and a three-time WWE Women's Tag Team Champion. In 2025, she was released from WWE.
This description was generated automatically and may contain inaccuracies.
Released superstar Shayna Baszler appeared on the NXT Homecoming special, offering advice to the tag team of Sol Ruca and Zaria during a backstage segment.
Shayna Baszler is set to make her Prestige Wrestling debut against TNA’s Masha Slamovich. This marks her first confirmed match since being released by WWE in May, despite having years left on her contract.
Shayna Baszler, who was released by WWE in May 2025, has already returned to the company, serving as a producer for a match during the July 8 NXT show.
