10 Recent Star-Making Wrestling Performances Nobody Saw Coming

For the most part, whenever fans of NXT bring up the topic of Shotzi Blackheart, the conversation tends to centre around the star's tank-assisted entrance and urge to howl every five minutes.

However, underneath her miniature mode of transport and tendency to staple things to her chest, lies a performer who has been quietly improving every single time she steps into the ring. This was never more clear than in her recent showdown against NXT Women's Champion and division standard-bearer Io Shirai on an episode of the black and gold show.

Spending less time pretending to be a wolf and more time matching the champ shot for shot, Blackheart, for the first time, felt like a genuine threat to Shirai's title, even if this was just a non-title encounter.

On top of bringing the fight, Blackheart also sold like an absolute warrior too, making fans believe she genuinely was done for after one particularly gnarly looking German suplex on the side of the apron.

This match may not have catapulted her straight into the current title picture. But, even in defeat, the green-haired 'weirdo' (Wade Barrett's words, not mine) unexpectedly proved she now has the wrestling chops to hang with the very best and back up her truly distinct character.