It is sounding more and more like Sasha Banks has been released by WWE. If this is true and The Boss is set to become a free agent – probably in 90 days’ time if the standard WWE release clause is in effect – then it marks the biggest needle mover in the women’s division that has ever been realistically available to AEW. It truly is a Boss move and one that is fitting of this tanktop available from prewrestlingisreal.com.
The Boss is not just a star of women’s wrestling, she is a legitimate draw as one of the best wrestlers in the world regardless of gender. Her status – and Naomi’s for that matter – has been completely up in the air since the pair decided to walk out on Vince’s company as they were unhappy with the lack of storyline and attention being paid to their act and WWE’s Women’s Division in general. Even so, this still feels like news that came out of nowhere.
Banks’ Makes A Statement
The weirdest part about this news is that WWE hasn’t made any kind of comment on the story. The news was first broken by Raj Giri of Wrestling Inc. and he has gone as far as saying that if the story is false then he will stop covering breaking news. Sean Ross Sapp – the man behind Fightful Select who always seems to be on the pulse of breaking news – could find no one to confirm, that Banks is out. Notably, however, he could also find no one to confirm that she was still a WWE employee either.
Banks – who appears to have recently undergone laser eye surgery based on her social media accounts – has also been silent. Assuming that she has gone, then it would be the end of a weird WWE run for a woman who is a legitimate star. The fact that WWE creative simply can’t find a use for someone as talented and beloved as Sasha is yet another black mark on a collective hardly worthy of their name.
Four Horsewomen
Banks would be the first of The Four Horsewomen of NXT to leave the WWE. She – along with Charlotte Flair, Bayley, and Bech Lynch – redefined what it was to be a female wrestler in the company. When NFL Black & Gold was at its absolute peak, Banks and the other women were headlining shows alongside the likes of Samoa Joe, DIY, and Sami Zayn.
One thing Banks will not lack for is options. If she wants to continue to wrestle – and wave a middle finger at Vince in the process – then she could easily slide over to AEW. Matches with Thunder Rosa and Dr. Britt Baker DMD would be instant draws, though it is fair to say that AEW does not have a good record of promoting their women’s division either. A run-in Japan with Stardom or Ice Ribbon would certainly make those companies relevant with fans in the US.
Banks, however, might be done with wrestling entirely for a while. Banks made her acting debut in the second season of The Mandalorian on Disney+ and it is hard to see acting offers not pouring in if she chooses to go down that route. Her unique look and charisma make it easy to see how a transition to either TV or movie roles would be a success.
I hope Sasha is not yet done in the squared circle. The 30-year-old has plenty left to give and she is far from the first wrestler to become disillusioned with the McMahon empire. Hopefully, a change of scenery will be what she needs to elevate herself to the next level of stardom that her work deserves.
Always remember folks. Pro Wrestling is Real.