Top Wrestling Free Agent Open To Joining AEW (AEW News)

Having departed WWE this past May, Shayna Baszler has revealed that she's open to joining AEW should the possibility arise.

During an appearance on the latest episode of The Ariel Helwani Show, the Queen of Spades discussed a wide variety of topics, from her time with WWE to the MMA world, and of course, to what could lie in her future.

On the highlight of her WWE career, Shayna pointed to her time with NXT, where she was a two-time NXT Women's Champion:

"My height was that Black & Gold NXT era. It's easy for me to say that because I was champion at the time, and I'm very proud of that run that I had, but even just being in that era of wrestling, and I'm grateful I had that. There's some people that never really found their footing, whether that was they weren't given the chance, or for whatever the reason was, they never really got the same sort of satisfied run that I had. Now, I can sit and commiserate and be upset with all the different ways I feel a main roster run could've gone, but I'm, overall, very pleased with my time in WWE."

Helwani then asked whether there was any bad blood between Baszler and WWE, to which she touched upon her initial arrival on the main roster during the empty arena pandemic days, and talked about having the respect of her peers:

"There's no bad blood from me. There's obviously stuff... I really feel the whole COVID thing really threw a wrench in the way my run was supposed to go, and that's not anyone's fault. No one knew how that was going to go at the time, or how long or whatever. And there's always, like, 'Man, if they'd have just listened to this story I pitched'. But I'm not a person that's going to sit and, like, commiserate on that stuff. There's some things that are in your control, and the things that were in my control is, I can promise you, like, as far as my peers in the locker room, I have the respect of everyone there. It's not about what Twitter says. I feel like it's more important when the people in the business that you do, that know the ins and outs and see the stuff that other people don't see, respect your work. That's a bigger compliment than, like, a fan liking the flavour of lollipop. So, no bad blood on my part. There will be, like, 'I wonder if I could've been that, or why...'. There's all of that, but you're just going to make yourself miserable, dwelling on things that are not in your control."

Addressing whether she's had any talks with any other wrestling promotions since her WWE exit, Shayna said:

"There's been some talks. Obviously, it's not a secret, I'm really good friends with Marina [Shafir]. I have a lot of friends there. So, there's been some discussion as to what the future could hold, for sure."

When Ariel Helwani specifically asked if Baszler has any interest in AEW, she certainly seemed open to that possibility:

"I said almost exactly this statement when people were talking about UFC to WWE transition. I don't care as much about the letters behind it. I just want to practice my craft, and if I can do that alongside my friends, that's always a great place to be. So, y'know, I'm not going to say a hard no to any of that."

It wasn't just AEW that came up in conversation, mind, for Shayna at one point brought up TNA, too:

"TNA, goddang, their women's division is so good right now, too, but it's the same that it's always been, man. Wherever there's bodies that people want to see me move in ways that look disgusting, and they want to see that, I'm down to do it. We just need to iron out the details."

One other interesting point to mention, despite previous reports that Shayna Baszler's WWE exit was due to the company simply choosing not to renew her existing deal, Baszler clarified that she was actually released and still had three years remaining on that contract.

What's next for Shayna remains to be seen, but it certainly sounds like she's not short of suitors right now.

If you use any of the above quotes, please link to The Ariel Helwani Show with a h/t to WhatCulture Wrestling.