Shotzi Blackheart has officially returned to WWEbut not in the way fans expected. After being out of action for months following an ACL injury in February 2024, she made her surprise comeback at NXT Stand & Deliver last week. Aligning herself with Tatum Paxley and Gigi Dolin, Shotzi was revealed as the third member of their new faction, Chemical X.
But just days after that return, Shotzi posted a raw and emotional video on May 1, 2025, opening up about her struggles, setbacks, and the personal transformation thats shaped her return. Pacing inside her garage, Shotzi delivered one of the most heartfelt promos of her career:
Have you ever lost so much that you start to wonder if youre even real anymore? I called myself the Ballsy Badass because I was wild, reckless, chaotic. I lived for the dangerloved every second of it. That confidence and fearlessness it was intoxicating. Its why I loved being in the ring so much.
But it felt like, in the blink of an eye, that feeling was gone. I lost. I lost people who meant everything to me. And I let that grief consume me. I let injuries make me feel worthless. And somewhere along the way, I lost myself.
I wish I could stand here and tell you that I walked through the fire and rose from the ashes like a damn phoenix. But you know what? Thats not my story. I struggleda lot. I fought through years of darkness.
But heres where Im going to give myself some credit: through all of thatevery dark thought, every injury, every crippling criticismI never quit. I never asked for time off, even when I was down to just a sliver of who I used to be. I held on. I held on, hoping that same carefree Ballsy Badass would come back.
But you know what I realized? As I was rebuilding myself, I realized that Ballsy Badass? Shes gone. Shes gone, and shes never coming back. And thats okay.
Because I redefined what it means to be the Ballsy Badass. Its not just about being reckless or having brutal matches. Its about having the guts to face your demons. Its about standing tall, even when you feel like youve got nothing left. Its about refusing to breakeven when the world is telling you that you should. That takes bigger balls than anything Ive ever done in the ring.
Am I still wild? Yeah. A little unhinged? Sure. But now? Now Im also unstoppable. The Ballsy Badass isnt just back. Shes evolved. And this timenothing, and I mean nothingcan shake me.
Shotzis return at NXT Stand & Deliver adds a new layer to this story. While her video reflects deeply personal growth, her on-screen alliance with Gigi Dolin and Tatum Paxley under the Chemical X name shows that shes stepping into a new role, both emotionally and creatively.
How do you feel about Shotzi joining Chemical X? Is this the right direction for her WWE return? Share your thoughts in the comments.
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