Rhea Ripley And Shayna Baszler Comment On Historic Women’s War Games Bout

Shayna and Rhea are ready to make history.

On Wednesday’s NXT, William Regal announced the first-ever women’s War Games bout for NXT TakeOver: WarGames III. While the competitors have yet to be announced, it was confirmed that NXT Women’s Champion Shayna Baszler and Rhea Ripley would serve as the respective captains. 

“It’s crazy to think all the big moments in history I’ve been a part of,” Baszler told CBS Sports. “I say this every single time. The first-ever Mae Young Classic and the first-ever all women’s pay-per-view. Every time a historical moment happens, I think, ‘What next?’ This is what’s next. I ask that every time.

“But the thing I have to look at for the future is retaining and defending the NXT women’s championship, whatever that entails. Just the way NXT has been run and the importance placed on the women’s division, as long as I concentrate on the NXT women’s championship, that title has history behind it and historical importance. As long as I do my job in defending that, history will come my way. I don’t need to seek it out.”

On NXT, Baszler was aligned with her Horsewomen running mates Jessamyn Duke & Marina Shafir along with Io Shirai and Bianca Belair. On the other side, Ripley stood with Candice LeRae, Dakota Kai, and Tegan Nox. It is unknown how many competitors will be in the bout. 

“I have a whole lot of mixed feelings, to be honest,” Ripley said. “I just can’t wait to get in there. To be able to make history time and time again, that’s all that I’ve ever wanted to do since being a little girl. I always knew that I was destined for something big in this world. I’ve already made history becoming the first-ever NXT UK women’s champion, and I’ve been in the first ever Mae Young Classic.

“Now, to be able to break history again and be in the first ever women’s WarGames? It’s insane. And not only just be in it, but to be the captain of my own team is just incredible. I have so many mixed feelings about it and I can’t wait to step in there and give Shayna’s team what they have coming, you know?”

NXT TakeOver: WarGames III is set for Nov. 23 in Chicago. If you missed anything from Wednesday’s NXT, check out Fightful’s full report by clicking here.