Sasha Banks Challenges Kevin Hart to Lightsaber Duel

WWE star Sasha Banks challenged comedian Kevin Hart to a Star Wars lightsaber duel – but not like you may think! Sasha Banks guest-starred in one of Kevin Hart’s Old Spice deodorant promos “Cold As Balls”, which Hart hosts on his Laugh Out Loud Network YouTube channel. “Cold As Balls” sees Hart jump in athletic-style ice baths with celebrity/athlete guests – so when Sasha Banks challenged Hart to a lightsaber duel, both fighters had to swing their swords from the tight space of their respective ice baths! 

Check out what a lightsaber ice bath looks in the video below! 

Sasha Banks (real name Mercedes Varnado) recently made a jump into the Star Wars franchise with a role in The Mandalorian Season 2. Banks plays Koska Reeves, an elite Mandalorian warrior who joins the fight for Mandalore’s freedom alongside former leader Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff) and her “Nite Owl” group. With that all on the table, it’s no surprise that Banks (green lightsaber) manages to take Kevin Hart (red lightsaber) in the “duel” – of course, the only real victory Sasha Banks achieves here is getting more ice dumped into her bath, to create an even more agonizing experience. 

Banks got to really shine in The Mandalorian Season 2 finale when the Nite Owls teamed up with The Mandalorian, Boba Fett, Fennec Shand, and Luke Skywalker to save Baby Yoda from the evil Moff Gideon. The Book of Boba Fett spinoff set up The Mandalorian Season 3 for a story about Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) mastering the Dark Saber and leading Mandalorians back to their homeworld. Sounds like a prime opportunity for Sasha Banks to make a comeback! 

Unfortunately, Banks herself has poured cold water on Star Wars fans’ hopes, when speaking with ComicBook.com earlier this year: 

“First of all, thanks… but I’m not on the next season,” Banks said. “But it was incredible being on The Mandalorian on Star Wars. To be on a franchise that is so huge and so loved, just look at the reception from fans outside of the WWE Universe. It was the best feeling of all time. The projection of that show was overwhelming. I legit felt like I was in a galaxy so far, far away. I felt like I was on a different planet. 

It was something I will always take with me and I took so much of what I learned from acting with them and being with so many great stars to WWE. It really helped my confidence as well when I came back from doing The Mandalorian two years ago. It was such a learning curve and something I wasn’t expecting, but now I’m in this whole new Hollywood world and it’s going amazingly. I’m so excited for the fans, and I can’t wait for my fans to see what’s next.”

WWE fans were also starved for Sasha Banks’ presence after she started off 2022 with the announcement that she was taking a wrestling hiatus due to an injury involving a bruised bone. Banks has since returned to the ring and claimed the Women’s Tag Team championship.