Shayna Baszler and Rhea Ripley Weigh In On Being in First Women’s WarGames Match

– Shayna Baszler and Rhea Ripley spoke with CBS Sports about being named the captains for the first-ever women’s WarGames match at NXT TakeOver: WarGames. You can check out highlights below:

Baszler on being part of the match: “It’s crazy to think all the big moments in history I’ve been a part of. 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.”

Ripley on making history: “I have a whole lot of mixed feelings, to be honest. 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?”

Ripley on what she’s looking for in teammates: “Grit and determination. If someone proves to me that they’ll get knocked down but will get back up and keep going, that’s what I want on my team. I want people that can take a hit and keep going. I want people that can dish out some brutality with me. That’s pretty much what I’m looking for. I just want people that I know won’t give up until they win because I want to win this. The sweetest possible way for the match to end, in my mind, is by going and defeating Shayna Baszler, you know? That’s the one thing I’ve not yet done. We had a match not too long ago and she decided to bring her little sidekicks into it and they brought a chair in. Too bad they couldn’t hit me with it because she isn’t fast enough, so I hit her with it. I got disqualified. I lost my anger a little bit. But any way of defeating Shayna is what I want to do.”

Baszler on Ripley being a Team Captain opposite her: “Here’s my complaint about all of this. I’ve been here defending this title and defeating people in high profile title matches my entire NXT career. Rhea came in and threw a 2-year old tantrum and blew her chance when they gave her a chance in a No. 1 contender match and then continued to throw a tantrum. She’s being awarded this to appease her tantrum throwing. She hasn’t done anything to deserve this and I’m going to show her that.”

Baszler on feeling at home in the environment: “Look at it this way. Rhea and whoever else she wants to choose to be locked in a cage, they’re getting locked in a cage, but as soon as that door shuts is the moment I’m set free. It doesn’t matter who she picks, I’ve got experience on my side. It doesn’t matter if they’ve been doing pro wrestling longer than me. I’ve been locked in a cage to do damage to a person longer than anybody else on that roster. Whoever she picks, they’re digging their own grave and doing the work for me.”