Summary

Nattie says she specifically wanted Shayna Baszler as her opponent for Bloodsport XV on April 17 in Las Vegas. The bout was already made official, but Nattie said in a new interview that she actively campaigned for the matchup because she sees Baszler as the most dangerous woman she has shared a WWE locker room with.

The match will be the first time Nattie and Baszler have shared the ring since the April 11, 2025 episode of SmackDown. The booking was previously confirmed in the original Bloodsport XV match announcement.

Quote from Nattie

Speaking with the Toronto Sun, Nattie said:

"Bloodsport is really special to me because that’s where Nattie was born. But, I also understand that this year at Bloodsport, it’s a place where I have lobbied to wrestle Shayna Baszler. I fought to wrestle Shayna Baszler. I campaigned to fight Shayna Baszler. I’ve been in the WWE locker room, this is my 19th year in a WWE locker room and I can say this with complete confidence — there is no other woman that I have ever shared a locker room with that is as dangerous as Shayna. She is a woman that men and women fear because when she says that she is a submission magician, she’s not lying. She is a pioneer in women’s MMA. She’s from the snake pit. She trained under Billy Robinson, she trained under Josh Barnett. When you think about the dungeon versus the snake pit, that’s what I’m going up against, Shayna Baszler from the snake pit. She’s somebody that when you look at Ronda Rousey, there might not have been a Ronda Rousey, she may have never wanted to do this if she hadn’t been inspired by a Shayna Baszler. A lot of Ronda, a lot of women in MMA that have done well, they wouldn’t have had that road paved for them if it wasn’t for Shayna Baszler. I campaigned to fight the most dangerous woman that I’ve ever worked with in a WWE locker room and I wanted Shayna. I handpicked Shayna because she’s going to bring out the very best in me, but I also need somebody that’s going to push me to my limits. I need somebody that’s going to get in my face. I understand the stakes are high because if this doesn’t go well, this could be the end of Nattie. This could be the end of me. I have to win because again, like a year ago, this is where Nattie was born. If I don’t win, this is where Nattie will die."

What Nattie and Shayna Baszler bring to Bloodsport XV

Nattie framing Baszler as the opponent she personally fought for gives this match more weight than a routine crossover booking. Between Nattie's Hart Dungeon identity and Baszler's Snake Pit background under Billy Robinson and Josh Barnett, the story around the fight now feels built on stylistic pride as much as name value.

It also tells fans that Nattie sees Bloodsport XV as a proving ground, not just a guest appearance. When she says the stakes are that high for her, it reinforces why this match stands out on the April 17 card.

Sources

As reported by Fightful.