WWE NXT: Candice LeRae should end Shayna Baszler’s title reign

Following her latest successful title defense at NXT TakeOver XXV for the NXT Women’s Championship, it looks like Shayna Baszler is all out of challengers. Enter Candice LeRae.

Many predictions heading into last night’s TakeOver event foresaw Io Shirai walking away with the gold. Alas, that wasn’t to be as the yellow brand’s only 2-time Women’s Champion was able to choke her out to retain once again. With her second title reign cracking away at 216 days and counting, it looks like there’s no one in NXT who has what it takes to stop The Queen of Spades. However, when I think about possible contenders who would make sense – story wise – to beat Baszler, Candice LeRae crosses my mind.

Before I go on gushing over why it should happen, let’s address this elephant in the room regarding why it seems unlikely. LeRae, admittedly, has not had the best booking since arriving to WWE in the  summer of 2017. In fact, one can argue that her only booking has been no booking. Apart from run-ins like last night and some pre-show match tapings, she has never competed in a match at a TakeOver event.

Meanwhile, WWE have hardly even attempted to give LeRae a character apart from Johnny Gargano’s wife. Her most memorable moments on the black and gold show have seen her by his side in some capacity or in the middle of his feud with Tommaso Ciampa. It’s not her fault. WWE haven’t done anything with her to help her stand out on her own merits. They haven’t inserted her in many feuds or storylines that are independent from her husband.

Which is a shame, really, because for the longest time, Candice LeRae proved to be one of the best in-ring competitors on the independent scene. She got over with crowds for her wrestling alone. She’s proven on the indies that she’s able to establish a strong connection between herself and the crowd. She has what it takes to be the face of a women’s division if WWE ever wanted to go that route. Problem is they’ve settled on her being a sidekick to bigger stars.

WWE failing to properly build Candice LeRae from the ground up could be enough to keep her out of conversations regarding who should beat Shayna Baszler. Thankfully, Shayna Baszler has been built well enough where one win over Baszler will be enough to establish whoever beats her for the title as the next top star of that division. As the saying goes, to be the woman, you’ve got to beat the woman. Baszler 100% is the woman. LeRae just has to beat her to claim her throne.

Now, here’s why I think this absolutely should happen: in many ways, the storyline between Shayna Baszler and Candice LeRae has been a storyline that has been two years in the making.

As long time viewers may recall, Candice LeRae and Shayna Baszler went toe-to-toe in the Quarterfinal of the 2017 edition of the Mae Young Classic Tournament. LeRae put up a valiant effort in a thrilling match, but ultimately tapped to Baszler’s Kirifuda Clutch. However, Baszler kept the hold on LeRae for several seconds after the bell – further injuring her opponent – and literally kicked LeRae while she was down on the ground.

Since then, over the course of two years, LeRae and Baszler have feuded and competed briefly against each other on and off with their most recent iteration of that feud featuring their back-up; Io Shirai for LeRae, while Baszler has Jessamyn Duke and Marina Shafir. Although, every time they competed against each other so far, LeRae failed to defeat Baszler. It would be wholly satisfying to finally see Candice LeRae get her comeuppance by taking the gold from Baszler’s waist.

It’s no secret that WWE have dropped the ball when it comes to booking Candice LeRae, but all it’ll take is a win over Shayna Baszler for the title in order to situate LeRae at the top of the NXT mountain where she belongs.