WWE NXT star Shayna Baszler recently did a Q&A with WWE.com, and below are some highlights:
WWE.COM: In less than a year of competing in NXT, you’ve got a championship opportunity at one of the biggest TakeOvers of the year. How does that feel?
SHAYNA BASZLER: It feels right. I’m more ready to be there than any other woman on the NXT roster.
WWE.COM: Let’s talk about your preparation. What is the difference between your pre-match preparations during your MMA career as compared to sports-entertainment?
BASZLER: It isn’t that much different. Some things have changed. The round times and limits aren’t there to worry about, so pacing benefits me in that I can take the time to enjoy the damage I cause. But the goal is still the same. It’s the same bloodthirst. In MMA, there isn’t time to admire your work until it’s all over with. In sports-entertainment, I can admire what I’m doing while it’s happening. So pre-match, I guess you could say my mindset is more like a lion about to play with its food, rather than a lion trying to hunt out of necessity. But ultimately, I’m out to hunt my target.
WWE.COM: What should Ember Moon and the NXT Universe brace for at NXT TakeOver: New Orleans?
BASZLER: All the keyboard warriors better gather together and bring tissues, because at TakeOver, the hero, Ember Moon, loses her title. And The Queen of Spades will be the new champ, while everyone else will still be crying. This isn’t a bandwagon; it’s a war wagon. You won’t be able to hop on because you’re going to get run over.