Possibility of WWE Superstars Venturing Beyond the Promotion Grows

The recent announcement by GCW that WWE star Shayna Baszler will be participating in Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport on Thursday, April 4, has sparked speculation about other WWE talents potentially making similar appearances for indie companies in the near future.

Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer shed light on this development during a discussion on Wrestling Observer Radio. He noted that Baszler’s inclusion in Bloodsport has opened doors for other WWE talents to explore opportunities outside the company during WrestleMania week.

Meltzer highlighted the significance of this move, especially considering the possibility of AEW stars also appearing on the same show as Baszler. He mentioned that indie promoters have been seeking to book AEW talent for their WrestleMania week events without much success, but Baszler’s involvement in Bloodsport has seemingly paved the way for WWE talent to participate in similar ventures.

“It’s interesting because on Friday they announced that Shayna Baszler was gonna be at Bloodsport. So right now, it’s really interesting because I think that there’s gonna be AEW people on Bloodsport, so there’ll be AEW and WWE people on the same show. And there’s people (promoters) who have been trying to get AEW people on their WrestleMania shows with no success. And I know that there’s gonna be other companies looking to get WWE people because Bloodsport got Shayna, and so it seems they’ve maybe opened the door. Some people are able to get them and some people aren’t, is basically how it’s gonna go.”

Advertising

Advertising

The decision to allow Baszler to work with GCW and potential future occurrences signify a shift in philosophy under the management of Paul Levesque and Nick Khan, in contrast to the approach taken by Vince McMahon, who traditionally restricted such opportunities for WWE talent.

This isn’t the first time WWE has allowed its talent to wrestle outside the company, as evidenced by Shinsuke Nakamura’s participation in NOAH as part of The Great Muta’s retirement tour last year.

As WrestleMania approaches, the wrestling community eagerly awaits further developments on this front, and we’ll be sure to provide updates as they unfold.

What promotions would you like to see WWE talent work with next? Let us know in the comments below.

Please credit Ringside News if using the above quote for your publication.