Why Shayna Baszler’s WWE Release Caught Everyone Off Guard

Shayna Baszler’s WWE release just got even more surprising—and now we know why so many people inside the company didn’t see it coming.

According to Fightful Select, Baszler had recently been helping out at NXT behind the scenes, which added to the confusion when news of her release dropped. Even more shocking, she “re-signed with WWE last year,” making her exit feel less like a contract expiration and more like a sudden pull of the plug.

Baszler will be under a 90-day non-compete clause, meaning fans won’t be seeing her pop up anywhere else until late summer at the earliest. That hasn’t stopped the speculation, though. Given her MMA pedigree and undeniable wrestling resume, it’s likely she’ll have plenty of options waiting.

The former UFC standout and two-time NXT Women’s Champion made her WWE debut in 2017 and quickly became one of the most dominant forces in the company. She bulldozed through competition, including a clean sweep inside the Elimination Chamber in 2020, and won multiple Women’s Tag Team Titles with both Nia Jax and Ronda Rousey. Her match against Rousey at SummerSlam 2023 was one of WWE’s rare shoot-style bouts—something only she could deliver.

With Baszler gone, fans and insiders alike are left scratching their heads. She had recently been featured on TV, still had backstage value, and had signed a fresh deal last year. Now she’s out—and WWE’s not saying a word.