January 1, 2024. San Diego, California. Pechanga Arena. Monday Night RAW: Day 1. Natalya's differences with Shayna Baszler brought Tegan Nox and her together in early 2023. Quite a journey was taken between them from there, resulting in a promising tag team as 2023 winded down. It's fitting Tegan and Natalya would begin their 2024 facing off against Shayna Baszler in a tag team match. Both Shayna and her partner, Zoey Stark, and the tandem of Nox and Natalya are jockeying for WWE Women's Tag Team Championship contendership positioning.

Tegan and Zoey have some history too. It was Nox who played a part in Zoey Stark and Io Shirai defeating Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell to win the NXT Women's Tag Team Titles at NXT The Great American Bash 2021. Speaking of Hartwell and LeRae, they observed Nox and Natalya versus Baszler and Stark via a backstage monitor. From afar, you can logically assume both The Unholy Union and The Kabuki Warriors were keeping their eyes on this battle between other hopeful contenders.

In the early going, Natalya dropped Stark on her rump with the slingshot atomic drop. Tegan tagged in, smacking the perfectly-in-position Stark with a running PK. Nox tagged out to Natalya who shortly found herself worked over by Shayna and Zoey. Tegan was a supportive partner, cheering on Natalya and constantly reaching her hand out for the tag. After what felt like an eternity, Natalya was able to tag Tegan in. The Welsh Dragon was a house of fire, hitting Shayna with two clotheslines followed by a charging uppercut to Zoey.

Nox smashed Shayna in the chest with a headbutt, setting her up for the gourdbuster. Shayna crumped to the corner, crushed with Cannonboar. Tegan hit the Molly-Go-Round off the top for a two count. Shayna ducked The Shiniest Wizard. Tegan evaded a roundhouse kick. But a second kick didn't miss, waffling Nox to the canvas. Natalya broke up the pin only to get superkicked to the floor by Stark. The end was nigh. Stark tagged in. Shayna sent Tegan over to Zoey with a German suplex. Stark scored the pinfall victory for her team after hitting Z360.

Natalya stared toward the ring in disappointment. This Chronicler will remain optimistic she was reacting to the result, not the partner. Fortunately, that optimism was proven correct on the January 8, 2024 episode of Monday Night RAW. Nox and Natalya watched on via a backstage monitor as Kayden Carter & Katana Chance successfully defended the WWE Women's Tag Team Titles. Tegan and Natalya appear to be focused on making another go at contendership.

Additional Information | Zoey Stark & Shayna Baszler defeated Tegan Nox & Natalya (5:35) at WWE Monday Night RAW: Day 1 on January 1, 2024 in San Diego, California at Pechanga Arena.