Shayna Baszler Says She Was Pulled From Big WWE Match Two Days Before Event

Shayna Baszler revealed that she was nearly pulled completely from the 2020 Royal Rumble match just days before the event. Despite eventually entering the match at number 30 and eliminating eight women, Baszler was originally told by Paul Heyman that plans had changed.

“That’s actually a really funny story about that,” Baszler said on Insight With Chris Van Vliet. “So I was in the Rumble, and all I knew was they were talking about me being one of the people that wins it… and then two nights before the Rumble, I get a call from Paul Heyman, and he’s like, ‘Hey, I just want to let you know…’ because he was a part of creative at that time, ‘You’re not going to be in the Rumble. It’s not because we don’t want you. It’s because we’ve decided you’re not going to win and we don’t want to waste the opportunity. Everything’s still gonna go to plan. You’re just not gonna be in the Rumble.’”

Baszler accepted the news and proceeded to work at an NXT PLE that Saturday. However, as the NXT talent prepared to leave, she was suddenly called back into action.

“We’re all getting ready to get on a bus to leave the pay-per-view as soon as it’s done, to go to rehearsal for Royal Rumble,” Baszler recalled. “And one of the TR comes up to me, and they’re like, ‘Shayna, did you bring stuff with you? Could you get in a ring right now and do rehearsal?’ Yeah. ‘Okay, well, they want you to go to rehearsal tonight, the Rumble.’”

Baszler believes that Triple H intervened to ensure she was included in the match, specifically to avoid fan backlash regarding the number 30 spot, which was originally discussed for Santino Marella.

“I think there was some discussion, because Santino was in the women’s Rumble, and I think originally he was supposed to be number 30,” Baszler said. “But I think there was this big to do about that’s such a down… So then I got switched to number 30, and I think that was Hunter going to bat for me too. I think he was like, if Shayna is not in the Rumble and we put Santino at number 30, everyone’s expecting the NXT champion to come out, and it’s gonna be Santino, that’s gonna be bad.”

If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit Insight with Chris Van Vliet with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription. You can listen to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or watch the interview on YouTube.