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When she was in NXT, Shayna Baszler was on top of the world.
Baszler dominated the women's division on the third brand, maintaining a stranglehold on the title there. She was a two-time NXT Women's Champion, having held the belt for more total days than anyone else. She was fierce and ferocious in NXT, choking out opponent after opponent, and it looked like she was a surefire bet to hold either the RAW or SmackDown title someday.
Baszler displayed a ring style that looked absolutely brutal. Borrowing from her MMA days, she would contort wrists, bend fingers and tear away at every joint on the human body. She made everything look real and convincing. Watching her stomp on an opponent's hand or twist their neck could make people cringe. She was that convincing. As a legit fighter, Shayna took her UFC experience and mixed it into her pro wrestling persona. It made for the perfect cocktail of carnage.
With nothing left to prove in NXT, it was time for Shayna Baszler to conquer a new mountain
Unfortunately, it didn't work out that way.
Shayna Baszler got the call up to the main roster two years ago this month in February 2020 and started off with a lot of fanfare. That died down, however, when she started being booked differently. In NXT, she was a dominant machine who could hardly be stopped by anyone. But when she arrived on the main roster? She appeared to get lost in the shuffle, and became just another face in the crowd and a victim of the promotion's infamous '50/50 booking'.
Baszler was no longer dominant anymore; she was just another really good wrestler within WWE's ranks. No one can be sure why Vince McMahon and Co. pulled back the dominance of her character. But for whatever reason, The Queen of Spades had been trumped.
For fans of Shayna Baszler, the most frustrating part is that she is a natural fit to be in the title picture on either the red or blue brands. While she has won two tag team titles with Nia Jax, singles gold has eluded her. That should change in 2022, lest WWE waste another talent that should be doing more than what they are doing.
Match-ups against Charlotte Flair or Becky Lynch would be incredibly intriguing, particularly if they were on a premium live event for a world title. And of course there is a money angle with her friend Ronda Rousey if 'The Baddest Woman on the Planet' happens to be holding a title at the time.
It will be interesting to see where 2022 takes Baszler. Will she finally get a singles title run or just stay floating around at the mid-card level?
What do you think of Shayna Baszler's run on WWE's main roster so far? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.
