Shayna Baszler exits WWE, set for Prestige debut vs Masha Slamovich

Shayna Baszler’s departure from WWE in May 2025 marked the end of an eight-year run that had seen the former NXT Women’s Champion establish herself as one of the promotion’s most accomplished and polarizing performers. After publicly confirming she had been released—despite having recently signed a contract extension and still having several years on the deal—the veteran grappler indicated the decision did not come as a shock, noting that she and partner Zoey Stark had not been featured on television since WWE opted not to renew the contract of Sonya Deville, a move that affected the trio’s storyline prospects. Baszler said she and Deville both sought ways to stay engaged through social media-driven storytelling, but creative momentum never materialized.

Baseline context matters. Baszler’s rise in WWE began in NXT, where she earned multiple accolades and developed a reputation as a formidable, legitimate-style competitor. Her main-roster arc included a controversial, high-profile faction with Deville and Stark—an ensemble that critics and fans largely viewed as promising in theory but disappointing in execution. In the months after the release, Baszler remained connected to WWE...