Real Reason Why Sasha Banks WWE Contract Talks Stalled

Published: Dec 16, 2022 by Dave Adamson | Last Updated: Dec 16, 2022 by Dave Adamson

Dave has been a website writer for WrestleTalk since October 2022, having previously written for Den of Geek, among a number of wrestling, movie and television-related sites. Dave has been around the independent wrestling scene for more than a decade, including behind-the-scenes.

Real Reason Why Sasha Banks WWE Contract Talks Stalled

Details of the failed contract negotiations between WWE and Sasha Banks have been revealed by Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer.

With recent reports that Sasha Banks exit from WWE had been negotiated “months ago”, it had also been reported by Meltzer that WWE and Sasha Banks were “very far apart” on money.

Banks had, reportedly, asked for “a very high number for a WWE women’s wrestler.”

Dave Meltzer has now provided further details in the current Wrestling Observer Newsletter (subscription required), saying:

“She and WWE did not reach terms for a new contract.

“WWE directly wouldn’t say anything about her but those in the company over recent months had said the sides were not close on money.

“She and WWE reached an agreement in the summer regarding her leaving and the agreement was they would release her to be a free agent rather than freeze her deal, but she couldn’t do “anything with wrestling until the start of 2023.

“In the fall, with the regime change, she was back in negotiations to return and it was considered that it was close to a done deal, aside from the money figure, and the two sides ended up being far apart.”

Looking at her deal with NJPW, Meltzer was able to explore the numbers and Banks’ standing within WWE further, stating:

“Obviously, New Japan couldn’t pay anywhere close to a WWE deal, as many of the women in the company earn in excess of $1 million per year and the biggest stars are well above that figure.

“She was said to be seeking a number along the levels of Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair and those internally have said she wasn’t offered numbers close to that.

“They said that she’s not seen internally as somebody who would be on top for the next five years, but is seen as someone who could get a singles or tag team title run, but has peaked as a star aside from the reality that was acknowledged that if she would return, there would be a “honeymoon” period where people would go nuts for her.”

Meltzer had previously discussed Banks appearing in NJPW and questioned whether she is a name that would be capable of “driving that revenue” when compared to the likes of Chris Jericho’s previous deal.

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