WWE veteran issues defiant statement ahead of rare gimmick match
WWE is preparing for a rare gimmick match as the fallout from WrestleMania XL week continues. A veteran WWE Superstar has been chosen for the match, and they have just made a firm statement on who has the advantage. This would be the NXT Underground match between Natalya and Lola Vice.
The WWE NXT Spring Breakin' event kicks off next Tuesday, then Week Two will air the following Tuesday. Week One will feature a contract signing for Natalya vs. Lola Vice, but this won't be a regular match as they will do battle inside NXT Underground. The actual match will be held on Week Two. The worked-shoot style concept began in 2020 as RAW Underground, but WWE officials brought an improved version to NXT last summer.
The NXT Underground matches take place in a no-rope ring with other talents surrounding the action. There are no count-outs and no pinfalls as the only way to win is by knockout, TKO, submission, or referee stoppage. The first NXT Underground bout took place on July 4, 2023 with Eddy Thorpe defeating Damon Kemp. Thorpe then defeated Dijak in the second Underground match on December 26, 2023, in the 16-minute main event of the night. Both matches ended via referee stoppage. While RAW Underground featured female superstars, Natalya vs. Vice will make history as the first-ever Underground match for the NXT women's division.
It has been revealed that Karmen Petrovic will be training Natalya, and will be in her corner as she has some MMA experience. A mystery person will be assisting Vice, who previously fought for Bellator MMA and has a record of 4-1. The Queen of Harts took to X and gave a look at why she thinks she has the advantage - as the only female graduate of the legendary Hart Family Dungeon in Calgary, located in the basement of Stu Hart's mansion.
"I was made in Stu Harts Dungeon. There's NOTHING I can't survive," Natalya wrote.
Natalya has been in WWE NXT for a brief run since March. The 24-year WWE veteran defeated Vice in an Open Challenge on March 26, but came up short against NXT Women's Champion Roxanne Perez two weeks ago. Vice has recent TV wins over Petrovic, Elektra Lopez, Tatum Paxley, and Sol Ruca, who she defeated this week.
Natalya pays tribute to WWE Hall of Famer grandfather
Stu Hart is one of the most legendary names in pro wrestling history. The industry pioneer was the patriarch of the Hart Family, the founder of Stampede Wrestling, and the head of his renowned wrestling school - The Dungeon.
Stu was the father of Bret Hart and Owen Hart, and the grandfather of Natalya, Teddy Hart, and David Hart Smith. Hart's trainees include his family members, Chris Jericho, Chris Benoit, Mark Henry, Edge, and Christian, among others.
Natalya took to X to pay tribute to her grandfather, who passed away on October 16, 2003 at the age of 88. WWE's Queen of Harts included a rare in-ring photo.
"I love this picture of my grandfather as a wrestling promoter in his ring (he helped design and build his own rings) for Stampede Wrestling. Stu built his promotion from the ground up. Many highs and lows in the wrestling business for him, but he had a deep passion for it and never gave up on it. He helped so many people reach their dreams. He’s always my biggest inspiration," Natalya wrote with the photo below.
WWE posthumously inducted Stu into the Hall of Fame as part of Class of 2010. He was represented by Bret and all his living children at that point in time. Hart has also received 2 Hall of Fame inductions for his championship career in amateur wrestling, 9 additional pro wrestling Hall of Fame inductions from around North America, and a Lifetime Achievement Award from WCW.