WWE Superstar Shayna Baszler has opened up about her recent feud with Alexa Bliss, which she says was an important moment in her career.
In a recent interview with Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated, Baszler said her work with Alexa showed that she has range and that she can be more than the unstoppable machine she portrayed in NXT.
“I need to show that I can be counted on to nail whatever it is I’m being asked to do,” the former NXT Women's Champion said. “It’s easy to be a badass tyrant like I was in NXT. I can totally fit that role. After establishing myself as that, it’s important to show I can cover a wide range of what professional wrestling is today."
As you might recall, Baszler was arguably the most dominant champion in the history of NXT. The former MMA fighter joined WWE in 2017 and swiftly rose to the top of the car on the company's black and yellow brand. In April 2018, she defeated Ember Moon to become NXT Women's Champion and held the title for 549 over two separate reigns.
Sadly, Baszler hasn't been as successful on WWE's main roster, despite kicking off her tenure with an impressive Elimination Chamber victory in which she eliminated everyone else in the match. Since then, her booking has been inconsistent and erratic, to say the least.
Baszler's feud with the supernatural Alexa Bliss character was not well received, but both women did the best they could with the material they were given.
"Not everything is for everyone, so I understand why some people roll their eyes when I do comedy," Baszler said in the Sports Illustrated interview. "But I’m established as what I am. All it takes is one sentence from a promo delivered properly. I am a legitimate badass; that’s always there for me. I’m glad I can be on Raw and show a wider range.”