If WWE wants to do a Four Horsewomen of NXT/WWE vs. Four Horsewomen of MMA feud, now they can. The company announced today (May 7) that the last two members of the mixed martial arts “faction”, Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler’s teammates Jessamyn Duke and Marina Shafir, have reported to the Orlando Performance Center to start training.
The seeds for a program pitting Raw’s Rousey, current NXT Women’s champ Baszler, Duke and Shafir against Sasha Banks, Bayley, Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch were planted at the Mae Young Classic (MYC) last summer. Rumors persisted WWE wanted to do a match at a “Big 4” pay-per-view (PPV), but eventually they went with a different plan for Ronda at Royal Rumble and WrestleMania 34 while Baszler climbed the ranks of the black-and-yellow brand.
It was said an issue holding up a feud was the lack of wrestling training for Duke, a 5’ 11”, 31 year old bantamweight with 3 - 5 professional MMA record in UFC and Invicta, and Shafir, a 5’7” 30 year old featherweight who was 1 - 2 in three pro fights for Lights Out Promotions and Invicta. But their joining WWE Developmental is obviously a step toward eliminating that problem.
In addition to being seen during the inaugural MYC and ringside for other Rousey and Baszler matches, WWE fans were introduced to Shafir during NXT’s acclaimed “Who is Roderick Strong?” video series. She’s Strong’s partner and they have a son, Troy, who recently turned one.
WWE’s press release about Shafir and Duke reminds fans about the Four Horsewomen stand-offs from 2017, so expect to hear more and more about that now that all eight are officially in the sports entertainment fold.
Like it? Is faction warfare how we get to a Flair/Rousey WrestleMania main event? Let us know what you think below, Cagesiders!