Sasha Banks is heading to New Japan Pro-Wrestling beginning with Wrestle Kingdom 17 next month, per reports that dropped last week. Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer then stated over the weekend that “The Boss” is effectively “done” with WWE right now, that Banks’ appearance at Wrestle Kingdom had no involvement from WWE and that the two sides have agreed to multiple dates. Voices of Wrestling then dropped an extensive report on the situation between Banks and Bushiroad, the parent company of both New Japan and Stardom, on Monday.
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Per Joe Lanza, the negotiations started shortly after Banks walked out on an episode of Monday Night Raw in May but initially fizzled out over Banks’ asking price. But then company president Takaaki Kidani gave the green light to push harder for a deal. It is being described as a “limited appearance deal” and will make her the highest-paid contracted star in Bushiroad. While the report didn’t confirm if Banks had signed the deal or not, it did note that the idea is for Banks’ involvement to establish Stardom as the No. 2 wrestling promotion in Japan and that she’d feud with KAIRI (fka Kairi Sane in WWE) over the IWGP Women’s Championship.
Will Sasha Banks Return to WWE?
Reports of WWE attempting to mend fences with Banks and Naomi popped up not long after Vince McMahon departed the company and Stephanie McMahon, Nick Khan (as Co-CEOs) and Paul Levesque (WWE’s Chief Content Office) took over, though it was later reported talks with Banks stalled after her asking price for a new contract was considered too high. Levesque discussed Banks during an interview with Ariel Helwani in September.ย
“Communication breakdowns are terrible. There was a communication breakdown there for whatever reason. Starting back up that communication, it’s not a difficult process but it can be a process,” Levesque said. “She is an unbelievably talented young woman that can do just about anything she wants. At the end of the day, it comes down to what she wants to do with her life and her career. It has to be right for her and right for everybody. [She’s an] unbelievable performer that I believe in with everything I have that is one of the biggest stars in our business.”
