Zaria aims for challengers to earn title shots in WWE

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ORLANDO, FLORIDA - JUNE 9: Zaria celebrates during NXT at the WWE Performance Center. | (Photo: Harry Aaron/WWE via Getty Images) It’s never been easier to become a WWE champion than it is right now. With a glut of titles, championship opportunities are handed out like Halloween candy: open challenges, complaining to management, you name it. Well, that buck stops with Zaria and the NXT Women’s North American Championship. After defeating Wren Sinclair Tuesday on NXT to retain her title, Zaria spoke with Bully Ray on Busted Open. Asked what she could do to elevate the title, Zaria said, “I’ll make ’em work harder,” referring to future challengers. "You have to work a lot harder…"@ZariaWWE_ sets her expectations for her #WWENXT North American Title Reign w/ @bullyray5150 on the #BustedOpen247 Podcast⬇️https://t.co/PmUJRM5q4g 📻Hear #BOAD Tonight at 11p ET on @siriusxmwwe Ch. 156 & the @SiriusXMSports app! pic.twitter.com/3esy0XeAzV — SiriusXM Busted Open (@BustedOpenRadio) August 13, 2026 That seems fair, considering Zaria had to fight for nearly two years to become a champion while past titleholders gave out title opportunities to randoms. That doesn’t sit right with the current champ, who believes championship opportunities should be earned. “I think people should go through multiple matches. I think there should be tournaments for this,” Zaria said. Unfortunately, in pro wrestling, it’s the squeaky wheel that gets the grease, which is what happened after Sinclair went squeak-squeak to NXT GM Robert Stone. On Tuesday, their match was interrupted by Saquon Shugars and Dion Lennox, who brawled from the back into the ring. During the scuffle, Sinclair took her eyes off the prize. Zaria, however, stayed focused and beat Sinclair clean with an F5. “She had her chance,” said Zaria. “You mess up once, that’s on you.” That should have been the end of it. Instead, Sinclair cried to Stone and offered to put her Women’s Speed title on the line for a rematch. Stone agreed, booking a unification bout for Heatwave on August 30. Without Stone’s support, Zaria can only do so much. Leaving Heatwave as a double champion, though, may give her the leverage she needs to ensure future challengers are worthy, not whiny, making for more compelling TV.