Shayna Baszler On Differences Between Herself And Ronda Rousey

NXT Women’s Champion Shayna Baszler is set for a busy weekend during Survivor Series weekend. Not only will she be leading her team in a WarGames match on Saturday for NXT TakeOver, the next day sees her compete against both RAW Women’s Champion Becky Lynch and SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley at Survivor Series.

In an interview with Newsweek, Baszler addressed her Survivor Series triple threat match. She stressed that although Lynch has experience facing off against Ronda Rousey and her MMA experience, she is a “different animal” to her friend.

“I’ve always wanted to make it very clear that she [Rousey] does her thing I do mine. I just want to make it clear from day one that we’re friends, but you’re dealing with a whole different animal,” Baszler stated. “Just because you’re prepared for one doesn’t mean you’re prepared [for the other]. And I don’t just mean Becky, I mean the audience. Just because they know [Ronda] doesn’t mean they are prepared for me.”

She went on to compare her in-ring style compared to Rousey’s. Baszler highlighted how she likes to pick her opponents apart “piece by piece” before stressing that she is a “different type of dangerous.”

“[…] in a pro wrestling sense I have a different pace to how methodical and strategic I am. I think Ronda, and if you follow her MMA career she’s the same way, but she goes for the quick kill and does as much damage at once. And I’m going to pick you apart piece by piece and get enjoyment out of solving the puzzle that is a human. You’re just going to see a different pacing and a different form of viciousness.”

Turning her attention to her recent appearance on Friday Night SmackDown, where she assaulted Bayley, Baszler shared how it felt like accomplishing a dream.

“It’s what every athlete in any sport dreams about. Us getting called and showing up on SmackDown is the equivalent in our world of the pinch hitter getting called in the ninth inning with a 3-2 count with two outs and is asked to deliver. This is everything that you dream about when you’re doing sports. It was pretty wild.”

Survivor Series takes place on November 24th from the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois.