Sasha Banks’ tenure with WWE has reportedly come to an end unless reports change amid the flood of controversial news out of WWE. There has been a ton of speculation surrounding the former WWE Womens Champion and WrestleMania main eventer since she walked from WWE Raw before the show with fellow tag champion Naomi.
Raj Giri shared a report on Wednesday that Banks was officially released by WWE, though this was shared by sources and not through a WWE confirmation. In a follow-up search, Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful.com reached out to Giri and then WWE to confirm the story and was unable to confirm the female star’s exit.
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Additional information and speculation dropped Thursday according to Cagesideseats, with Mat Men‘s Andrew Zarian adding that while a release is yet to be confirmed officially, Banks’ legal team was working on her exit from the company.
“I cannot confirm that she’s released, but…I did hear late last week that her attorneys were working on getting this done,” Zarian said. He also added that while WWE doesn’t want to be rid of Banks, they don’t view her as essential to their weekly product. “In their minds, they could clone Sasha with somebody else and have her fit that role, and no problem. It is now a role you are playing. It’s a role with mid-level actors. Everybody’s a mid-level actor, except for a Roman Reigns, or a Brock Lesnar, or a Cody Rhodes. Those guys are the stars.”
Reading that Rhodes is considered a star at the moment could also be telling about where WWE’s head is at regarding their roster and AEW’s current talent. What is certain is that nobody feels that Banks will be returning to WWE. The real question is what happens next for the former WWE superstar, and will she be wrestling elsewhere?
The company’s handling of Banks and Naomi’s walkout on May 16 has been quite frustrating. Both female stars were publicly chastised on-air for walking out, then suspended indefinitely on-air on Friday Smackdown later that week. The company had announcing talent announce the issues on-air and claim that both women “disappointed the WWE Universe.” It’s a situation that seems to mirror Stone Cold Steve Austin’s walkout in 2002 when The Rock was sent out to chastise Austin for taking his “ball” and going home.
Reports did add that Banks’ contract was up within two months and Naomi was in the midst of negotiations at the time of their Raw walkout. Since the company’s decision, their merchandise was removed from the WWE Shop and their likeness was removed from ads and video intros for the shows.
