After competing and finishing second in the “Mae Young Classic” – a 32-woman tournament broadcast on the WWE Network from Japan -- Baszler has officially joined World Wrestling Entertainment, according to a release. “The Queen of Spades” began training at the WWE Performance Institute in Orlando, Fla., last week.
“I’m looking forward to getting out there and twisting limbs off and breaking bodies,” Baszler said in the release. “I can't wait.”
A two-time UFC veteran and a cast member of “The Ultimate Fighter 18,” the 37-year-old Baszler owns a 15-11 career mark in MMA. She went 0-2 during a brief stint with the Las Vegas-based promotion, falling to Amanda Nunes and Bethe Correia via TKO.
The Josh Barnett protégé was part of the Four Horsewoman in the UFC, which notably included former bantamweight queen Ronda Rousey. Rousey has made a couple appearances at WWE events and has been linked to a potential professional wrestling career in recent years.
Baszler is taking the transition very seriously.
“It’s very serious to me and, in some ways, a lot more important [than MMA] based on where I come from,” Baszler said. “Waving the banner of my coaches is a heavy flag to wield, so it’s something I take very serious. Because of that, I wanted to start at the beginning and show that I’m willing to start at the bottom and prove myself and work my way up, so there’s no excuse when I get here and I’m breaking these girls in half. I didn’t get any ‘gimmes.’”