Shayna Baszler, Jessamyn Duke, and Marina Shafir Will Change NXT Forever

Shayna Baszler and Kairi Sane faced off against each other for a third time in a high stakes match, and Baszler finally won the “big one” against Kairi, largely thanks to interference from Jessamyn Duke and Marina Shafir.

For a year, Shayna Baszler has been a formidable force in the WWE NXT Women’s Division, holding the NXT Women’s Championship for months after defeating Ember Moon at NXT TakeOver: New Orleans. Baszler successfully defended the title at NXT TakeOver: Chicago II against Nikki Cross, but she ran into Kairi Sane again at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn 4.

It was a feel-good moment for Sane, who had defeated Baszler in the finals of the first ever Mae Young Classic. Although Sane could not defeat Baszler on an episode of NXT, she did finally rise to the occasion against NXT’s resident bully at TakeOver: Brooklyn.

Sane gave Baszler her rematch for the title at WWE Evolution 2018, and she was getting the better of Baszler during the match. Any time Baszler tried to lock in the Kirifuda Clutch, Sane had the counter, as she knows just how devastating that move can be.

After hitting Baszler with spears, crossbodies to the outside, and other hard-hitting moves, she sent Baszler flying into the crowd after Baszler took the fight to the barricade. Unfortunately for Sane, “The Pirate Princess” drew the ire of the women sitting in the crowd, namely Baszler’s “Four Horsewomen of MMA” counterparts Jessamyn Duke and Marina Shafir.

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Recently signed to WWE, Shafir and Duke have been in the Performance Center, itching to begin. Shafir and Duke have already made their debuts at NXT Live Events, and they made their marks at the first ever all women’s PPV, attacking Sane during her title defense at Evolution.

The attacks proved costly, because while Sane was able to ward off the former MMA stars initially, Shafir and Duke continued to attack. When the ref wasn’t looking, Shafir sent Sane reeling with a kick, and she spun right into the waiting clutches of Baszler, who locked in her finisher.

Sane, like so many others before her, fought valiantly in the Kirifuda Clutch before succumbing to the deadliest submission in WWE. Referee Jessika Carr watched anxiously as Sane lost consciousness, giving the resilient champion every possible millisecond to make a miraculous comeback.

Of course, that never happened for Sane, who passed out as Carr solemnly rung the bell, signfying a second title reign of terror at the top of the NXT Women’s Division for “The Queen of Spades” herself.

Except now, Baszler has company in Shafir and Duke, who are both merciless athletes in their own rights. They will do whatever it takes to support Baszler, and if Women’s Tag Team Championships are coming and contestable amongst all brands, these three women could aim to hold as many title as possible.

Exciting times are ahead for the NXT Women’s Division with a brutal heel faction, led by the most brutal heel in WWE in Baszler, but they will be dark times for women like Sane, Dakota Kai, and Candice LeRae. So many women have been bullied by Baszler, and they will all need to stand up together to fight this force in the NXT Women’s Division.

Because if you thought The Undisputed Era was taking over NXT, then you ain’t seen nothing yet. Baszler, Duke, and Shafir are here to create something the NXT Universe simply haven’t seen before, and it will take more than just Sane’s determination and superior wrestling skills to stop them.