WWE Superstar Natalya is set to step into an entirely different arena today, April 17th, 2025, as she competes at Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport event in Las Vegas. In a revealing interview with Sportskeeda WrestleBinge, Natalya explained how this appearance is not a WWE mandate, but a deeply personal and passionate pursuit that connects back to her family’s wrestling legacy.
“Doing Bloodsport is so important for me,” Natalya said. “It’s not something that they asked me to do. WWE did not come to me and say, ‘Hey, Natty, we want you to do Bloodsport.’ I watched Shayna Baszler last year at Bloodsport… and I couldn’t get over how much I enjoyed the environment. It was just an energy—like a Fight Club.”
Describing the event’s gritty atmosphere, Natalya said the intimate venue reminded her of the legendary Hart Dungeon, where she and many wrestling greats trained under brutal conditions. “This is what the dungeon is. This is what we do in the dungeon. This embodies the dungeon.”
Inspired by Baszler’s performance against Masha Slamovich in 2024, Natalya took the initiative. “I messaged Josh Barnett, and I said, ‘Hey Josh, I want to do Bloodsport.’ He said, ‘Okay, well, we have to get permission from Triple H.’”
To her relief, WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H was completely on board. “He was so supportive of me doing it… I said, ‘I really want to show you what I can do in this space.’ It’s a totally different vibe. He said, ‘Absolutely.’ It was something that I fought to do, and I really wanted to do.”
Natalya also revealed that she specifically requested her opponent, Miyu Yamashita. “I called her out. I said to Josh Barnett, ‘I want Miyu,’ because Miyu has trained with me in my dungeon. I believe, in my heart of hearts, that she is the greatest unsigned Japanese female wrestler in the world.”
Natalya’s appearance at Bloodsport not only showcases her versatility as a performer but highlights WWE’s evolving openness to cross-promotional ventures—especially when they resonate on a personal and professional level.
“This isn’t about a paycheck. This is about proving myself in a completely different arena.”
