Sasha Banks’ status with the WWE continues to be a mystery as the company consistently refuses to outright confirm if she has been released. She and Naomi were suspended indefinitely back in May and backstage reports of “The Boss” leaving the promotion began popping up from various sources in mid-June. That latest noted Banks and Naomi had both been removed from WWE’s internal roster, though they still remain on the public roster from WWE.com
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Fightful Select’s Sean Ross Sapp had another update late Wednesday night that could point to Banks being gone from the company. Following the announcement that she would be a guest at C2E2 (billed as her real name Mercedes Vernado), various wrestling conventions started reaching out to her representation to see if she was taking bookings. They were told she couldn’t do wrestling conventions at 2023 and wrestling promoters were also told she’d only be taking non-wrestling bookings up through Jan. 1. It’s possible these were the terms agreed upon by Banks and WWE in order for her release to be granted.ย
So unless Banks and WWE can somehow mend fences, it doesn’t sound like the former women’s champion will be competing inside a ring at any point for the rest of this year. She and Naomi walked out on an episode of Raw in May over creative disputes with how they were being portrayed as a tag team. According to various reports, the two wanted to defend their WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships (which they had just won a WrestleMania 38 a month prior) at Hell in a Cell against Nikki A.S.H. and Doudrop. Instead, WWE wanted to have each of them challenge one of the reigning women’s champions in singles matches (and presumably lose both). The two were stripped of the titles upon suspension, and while WWE promised a tournament to crown new champions would take place there has been no mention of that idea since the suspension announcement.ย
WWE’s next pay-per-view, SummerSlam, is set for July 30 at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, TN. Check out the updated lineup for the show below:
- Undisputed WWE Universal Championship:ย Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar (Last Man Standing Match)
- Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships:ย The Usos vs. The Street Profits
- SmackDown Women’s Championship:ย Liv Morgan vs. Ronda Rousey
- United States Championship:ย Bobby Lashley vs. Theory
- Pat McAfee vs. Happy Corbin
