Shayna Baszler Signs WWE Contract: Predictions for Mae Young Finalist's Career

Shayna Baszler will grind and fight her way to the WWE spotlight.

The Mae Young Classic finalist and former MMA fighter has an inherent feel for pro wrestling. She's a scrapper, a warrior and a true fan of the medium.

And now Baszler is set to begin her WWE journey in earnest.

A month after battling Kairi Sane in the finals of the inaugural Mae Young Classic tournament, she has signed a developmental deal with the company. WWE announced The Queen of Spades is now officially training at the company's Performance Center.

She told WWE.com: "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."

It won't be long before fans are hearing threats like that on Raw or SmackDown, as Baszler is on a fast track to the top. She's inexperienced and raw, but her background in MMA will push her past other prospects.

And it won't hurt that Ronda Rousey, a star WWE has made it clear it wants to showcase on its stage, is a good friend of hers.

Baszler won't be remembered as a celebrity fighter's sidekick, though. The South Dakota native is poised to charge toward championship gold, one rear-naked choke at a time.

A Short Stay at NXT

WWE doesn't have the time to be terribly patient with Baszler.

She may still be rough around the edges and still a novice, as she's only been wrestling since 2015, per CageMatch.net, but she's also 37 years old. The window to utilize The Queen of Spades' athletic prowess won't be open a whole bunch longer.

Plus, green and all, she more than held her own against veteran opponents in the Mae Young Classic. She produced high-quality bouts against Mia Yim, Mercedes Martinez and Sane.

Her NXT tenure will be more about refinement than fundamentals. She's going to continue to infuse her MMA skills into the squared circle. She can rely on that and be a main roster success even if she hasn't been wrestling on the independent circuit for 10 years.

There's a good chance she moves up to Raw or SmackDown before NXT mainstays like Peyton Royce and Nikki Cross.

MMA Invasion Angle

A clash between WWE's Four Horsewomen and the MMA clique of the same name is inevitable.

Bayley, Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch crossed paths with Rousey, Baszler, Marina Shafir and Jessamyn Duke from UFC during the Mae Young Classic. There wasn't just one staredown, either. WWE concocted a confrontation backstage where Rousey called out Flair's crew.

There's a battle brewing there, and Baszler will be key to it.

She's the only woman among the squad of former UFC fighters with significant pro wrestling experience. If a tag team match between the two sides happens at an event like WrestleMania, WWE will need Baszler to be her side's rock.

She'll have to do much of the ring work that night, while Rousey will provide the flash and star power.

Baszler's association with the former bantamweight champ will see her get pushed to the forefront. She's going to get a spot on a pay-per-view card within the first year of her deal.

WWE is going to want to put this Rousey-centric match on and rake in the dough that comes with it. Baszler will benefit from being in that mix, getting prime-time exposure early in her career.

Stardom Awaits

The Raw and SmackDown women's divisions are filled with talent, but Baszler is sure to be a major player on either show in a short while.

WWE loves an athlete with a background like hers. She brings an air of legitimacy. She's a hard-hitter, different, a bruiser with presence. Her dominance on the mat makes her a believable threat to anyone.

Credit: WWE.com

That's going to all add up to ample opportunities.

Ryan Satin of Pro Wrestling Sheet foresees big things ahead:

Baszler is going to get at least one big push, one title run and a real shot to prove she deserves more of the same. WWE called on her to be the Mae Young Classic's resident destroyer, and she excelled. With added training and experience, she's poised to be even better in that role.

Within the next two years, she's going to be a champion. She's not projected to be a star for the long haul because she'll be in her 40s before long, but she will make sure we remember her tenure for a long time.