Last night we saw one of the most iconic reigns in NXT history finally come to an end, as Rhea Ripley defeated Shayna Baszler in one of the finest matches of the year. The fact that Baszler was finally defeated may not have come as a shock to most people, but it didn’t take anything away from the moment to close NXT last night.
All eyes now turn to the future, and what could be next for the former MMA star? It certainly looks like it will centre around an appearance on Raw or SmackDown in the coming weeks.
Eyes On Becky Lynch
Becky Lynch knows how to make a programme engaging for the fans, and that is certainly what she has been doing with her feud with Baszler. The two were the mouthpieces in the build for Survivor Series, with Bayley just making up the number in that bout.
However, Baszler got the win in that triple match by defeating Bayley. Lynch then attacked Baszler, and all eyes would now be set on a potential championship match at WrestleMania next year. The build is already there, and the progression just makes sense. The two can continue to tell their story, and it could be a match to potentially steal Mania.
Ronda Rousey Return
Of course, much of what happens at Mania may centre around whether a certain Ronda Rousey returns in time for the show. Rousey herself will have unfinished business with Lynch, and their continued storyline would captivate fans immediately. It is unlikely that Rousey won’t return in time for the show, as she is one of the WWE’s biggest stars. However, how they use her will be fascinating.
They would also go down the route of a big tag match. Fans have been crying out for the potential four horsewomen bout, and this may be the perfect time to do it. But, if they go down that route, then they will have to either have no women’s title matches on the card or have both Lynch and Bayley drop their titles in the months that remain until Mania.
That looks a more unlikely scenario at this moment, as if either superstar is to lose their gold, then there’s a chance one of the other women that would be involved in that match would be winning it. However, the possibility of seeing Baszler on the grandest stage should be exciting for fans, and there are numerous ways in which the WWE can go with it.
