NXT Women's Champion Shayna Baszler escapes Nikki Cross' sleeper hold with a painful slam onto unforgiving steel: Courtesy of the award-winning WWE Network.

NXT Women’s Champion Shayna Baszler has been in many fights in her life, but perhaps none quite like the brawl she endured against Nikki Cross at NXT TakeOver: Chicago II to retain her place atop the NXT Women’s division.

Cross baffled the champion at the outset, standing completely still and defenseless and welcoming Baszler to strike her in the face. This chaotic tactic allowed Nikki to take control and weather Baszler with strikes and submissions. Baszler, however, soon found her footing and began to pounce on Cross. Still, no matter what the NXT Champion hit her with, Cross continued smiling.

From there, the Superstars traded high-impact offense, wearing each other down and closer to defeat. Then, without warning, The Queen of Spades transitioned a pin attempt from Cross into the Kirifuda Clutch. Cross fought the hold for as long as she could and refused to tap out before finally passing out with a smile on her face.

Cross was still smiling when she came to, but so was Baszler, because she was still NXT Women’s Champion.