Here’s When Sasha Banks’ WWE Exit Was Negotiated

Published: Dec 15, 2022 by SP3 | Last Updated: Dec 15, 2022 by SP3

Born in Harlem, New York and now living in the Bronx, Sid Pullar III aka SP3 is a lifelong wrestling fan who has been covering the industry for over nine years as a podcaster and writer. His passion for the industry has been documented with over 3,000 videos on YouTube and 8,000 written pieces across multiple outlets, such as WrestleTalk, Sports Illustrated and more.

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Here’s When Sasha Banks’ WWE Exit Was Negotiated

Backstage details on Sasha Banks’ WWE deal have been revealed.

Sasha Banks, real name Mercedes Varnado, has been at the center of wrestling headlines since news circulated that NJPW planned on bringing the former Raw Women’s Champion to Wrestle Kingdom 17.

Fightful Select (subscription required) provided an update on Sasha Banks’ WWE deal, noting that they have confirmed that Mercedes’ exit from the company was negotiated “months ago” when Wrestling Inc.’s Raj Giri reported as such.

However, WWE has yet to officially confirm or announce this, and Varnado remains listed on the company’s official website.

It was previously reported by Fightful that Sasha Banks was able to take wrestling related bookings on January 1. The outlet confirms that this is due to contractual reasons.

The report also notes that Wrestlecade was not the only wrestling-related operation to make attempts to book Mercedes, with The Big Event being another convention interested in bringing her in.

Some conventions even tossed around the idea of rebranding themselves as an “entertainment” conventions to get around the technicality of being a pro wrestling convention, in hopes of booking her before January 1. That ultimately didn’t happen though.

The report also notes that her New Japan Pro Wrestling deal is ‘a go’, with it being agreed upon as far back as the last week of November.

As for AEW, those that Fightful spoke to that are familiar with the deal have not heard anything about Sasha signing there, but also stated that doesn’t mean it isn’t happening.

The report did not mention as to whether this also counts for Naomi, who walked out of the company alongside Sasha on May 16, 2022.

As previously reported, Sasha Banks has commented on returning to in-ring training ahead of a possible return to the squared circle.

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