How Shayna Baszler inspired Natalya's WrestleMania week GCW Bloodsport match (Exclusive)
Natalya will fight Miyu Yamashita at Josh Barnett's GCW Bloodsport XIII at the Pearl Concert Theater in Las Vegas on April 17. In an exclusive interview, the former SmackDown Women's Champion revealed why she wants to test herself outside of WWE.
In April 2024, Shayna Baszler defeated Masha Slamovich at Bloodsport X during WrestleMania XL week. Natalya watched her fellow WWE star's performance and felt inspired to wrestle on the upcoming Bloodsport card ahead of WrestleMania 41.
Speaking to Sportskeeda Wrestling Senior Editor Bill Apter, Natalya explained how much the match against Yamashita means to her:
"Doing Bloodsport is so important for me. It's not something that they asked me to do. WWE did not come to me and say, 'Hey, Nattie, we want you to do Bloodsport.' I watched Shayna Baszler last year at Bloodsport. I watched her against Masha Slamovich, and I couldn't get over how much I enjoyed the environment. There was just an energy. The fans were so excited, and it was this small, very intimate building. It wasn't in a stadium full of people. It was like a fight club. It reminded me so much of the dungeon [Hart family wrestling dungeon]." [5:45 – 6:21]
Watch the video above to hear the RAW talent discuss several wrestling topics, including her uncle Bret Hart's impact on today's generation.
How Natalya's GCW Bloodsport XIII appearance materialized
Motivated by Shayna Baszler's match, Natalya asked MMA star and Bloodsport organizer Josh Barnett if she could appear on a future show. He had no problem adding The Queen of Harts to a card, but only if she received permission from WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H.
After speaking to Barnett, Natalya pitched the idea to Triple H and told him she wanted to show a different side to her in-ring style:
"I went to TV the following week, I saw Triple H, and he was so supportive of me doing it. I think also because WWE has a good relationship with Bloodsport. Many talent have gone and worked with Josh before. We have a good rapport with Josh and with Bloodsport, but Triple H was super supportive, and I said, 'I really wanna show you what I can do in this space.' Because it's not what we normally do in WWE. It's a totally different vibe, and he was so supportive, and he said, 'Absolutely.'" [6:57 – 7:26]
The Hart family member has worked for WWE since 2007. She holds several wrestling world records, including the most matches for a female WWE star.
Please credit Sportskeeda Wrestling and embed the video if you use quotes from this article.