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Nattie Explains Why Match Outside Of WWE Is So Important, What’s Really At Stake

By John Canton • Published Apr 03, 2026 16:40 EDT
Nattie WWE Raw
Nattie WWE Raw on January 26, 2026 - Image via @WWE on X

Nattie has high expectations for a big match that won’t take place in the WWE ring.

As the longest tenured female wrestler in WWE, Nattie is a future Hall of Famer who is still performing at a high level. It was one year ago during WrestleMania 41 weekend when the former Natalya ditched the pink look and became a more serious wrestler known as Nattie.

That change of look led to wins in promotions like GCW Bloodsport, Reality of Wrestling, and AAA. Nattie even wrestled in the NWA, but it ended in a loss.

On Friday, April 17th, just one day before WrestleMania 42 begins, Nattie will be in action against former WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion Shayna Baszler. The two women have wrestled in WWE many times, but this time it will be at Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport event.

While talking about her Bloodsport match with the Toronto Sun, Natalya discussed how dangerous Shayna Baszler is.

“This year at Bloodsport, it’s a place where I have lobbied to wrestle Shayna Baszler. I fought to wrestle Shayna Baszler. I campaigned to fight Shayna Baszler. This is my 19th year in a WWE locker room, and I can say with complete confidence, there is no other woman that I have ever shared a locker room with that is as dangerous as Shayna.

She is a woman that men and women fear. When she says she’s a submission magician, a submission technician, a submission machine, she’s not lying. She is a pioneer in women’s MMA. She’s from the Snake Pit. She trained under Billy Robinson, she trained under Josh Barnett. When you think about The Dungeon versus the Snake Pit, I mean, that’s what I’m going up against is Shayna Baszler from the Snake Pit.

She’s somebody that when you look at Ronda Rousey, there might not have been a Ronda Rousey. Ronda may never have wanted to do this if she hadn’t been inspired by a Shayna Baszler. A lot of women in MMA that have done well, they wouldn’t have had that road paved for them if there wasn’t a Shayna Baszler.”

“If I Don’t Win Then Nattie Will Die”

To put over how important the match is, Nattie spoke about how if she fails to beat Baszler in their Bloodsport match, then it could be where the Nattie persona ends.

“So I campaigned to fight the most dangerous woman that I’ve ever worked with in a WWE locker room, and I wanted Shayna. I hand-picked Shayna because she’s going to bring out the very best in me, but I also need somebody that’s going to push me to my limits. I need somebody that’s going to get in my face.

“I understand the stakes are high, because if this doesn’t go well, this could be the end of Nattie. This could be the end of me. So, I have to win. Again, a year ago, this is where Nattie was born, but if I don’t win this is where Nattie will die.”

In a social media video this week, Natalya claimed that if she doesn’t win over Baszler, she’ll likely bring back the “sparkles” and the “bimbo,” referring to her past Natalya character.

(H/T Wrestletalk)