Former WWE star Shayna Baszler recently sat down with Chris Van Vliet, opening up about life after her WWE release and revealing that she remains closely connected to the company in a behind-the-scenes capacity.
Speaking during the interview, Baszler explained that despite no longer being under contract, she’s arguably busier than ever.
“Well, actually, strangely enough, I feel like I’m busier and away from home more than I was before, just by the nature of taking every available opportunity there is to just do everything that I want to do. So I don’t know.”
Baszler detailed how her schedule has been filled since her release, balancing independent wrestling appearances with backstage responsibilities.
“I mean, I’m still taking indie dates and doing stuff like that. I’ve been doing a lot of like guest coaching and shadowing producing at NXT. So pretty much if I’m not on the road, I’m helping out there if I can.”
When asked directly whether she is currently working for WWE, Baszler clarified that while she is not officially signed, she maintains a positive working relationship with the company.
“I’m not officially hired, but I have a good relationship with them. I’m officially guest coaching when the opportunity comes. I don’t hate it. I actually like it a lot more than I thought I would. So how that all came about is that Daniel Bryan, it was during COVID, and Daniel Bryan was always the guy sitting in Gorilla. It’s kind of like, I don’t know if it’s still the same way now, but it’s kind of like only the top guys can sit back on a headset in Gorilla. There’s just too much, it’s not enough room, so you don’t want to crowd the place. But he was talking to me about, if you ever get a chance to sit in the truck or sit on a headset, it completely changed my wrestling. I feel like my wrestling went to another level, because you get to see what they look for, and how they call things, and the time it takes. So you feel weird making a face for too long, but they have just TV stuff.”
Baszler went on to explain how that advice led her to seek out hands-on learning opportunities at NXT, particularly due to its live television format.
“Yes, and you wrestle differently for television than you do for a live crowd. So I wasn’t in a position at that time where I could do that on Raw or SmackDown. So I thought where I could do that is at NXT, and NXT does live TV, so I kind of was down there, and just asked one day, ‘Hey, do you mind if I just sit on a headset back here during the show?’ Coach Bloom was like, yeah. And if you’re gonna do that, you follow around Mossy, [he] is producing the women’s match tonight. You just as well follow him around all day so you can see the whole process. So I kind of just started showing up there when I was able to and when I wasn’t completely dead from travel. So when I got the call about being released, I also got a call that was like take some time, but if you’re still interested and keep on doing that, we’re open to that idea.”
When asked whether this role could eventually turn into something full-time, Baszler admitted the possibility remains open — and that the experience has been more fulfilling than she expected.
“If I don’t suck too bad at the guest part of it. You know, it’s pretty smart of them, because during my 90 days, I’d be lying if I didn’t say I wasn’t a little salty at first, but I kind of was like, You know what? What’s the worst that’s gonna happen? I hate it, and then I tell them I don’t want to do it? So let’s just go in and do it. But they’re smart to have done that, because then I got emotionally invested in the athletes that are there, that I’m working with, and some of the girls, even some of the guys, seeing their growth and seeing collaboration ideas. I’ve been a talent, so I know how to go from creative to the talent and kind of bridge the gap of what creative is looking for and what the talent wants to do. So, I don’t know, I got emotionally invested in everything, so they kind of got me coming back. But yeah, it’s been a lot more rewarding. I’ve enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would, to be honest.”
Baszler’s comments suggest that while her in-ring WWE chapter may have closed for now, her future in the company — particularly behind the scenes — could still be very much in play.
