Sasha Banks, Naomi reportedly walk out of Raw following creative differences

The WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions reportedly refused the planned creative for tonight’s show.

May 16, 2022

WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Sasha Banks and Naomi reportedly walked out of Raw tonight during the broadcast following a meeting with Vince McMahon, significantly altering the show’s main event, according to F4W/WON, PWInsider, and Fightful Select.

Raw was set to be headlined by a Six Pack Challenge between Banks, Naomi, Asuka, Becky Lynch, Nikki A.S.H., and Doudrop to determine the #1 contender for the Raw Women’s Championship. Banks reportedly “took issue with some of the planned creative”, and was unable to come to a compromise with Vince McMahon. As a result, she left the arena, and her tag team partner Naomi left with her.

WWE issued a rare statement regarding the incident to F4W/WON, which reads:

When Sasha Banks and Naomi arrived at the arena this afternoon, they were informed of their participation in the main event of tonight’s Monday Night Raw.

During the broadcast, they walked into WWE Head of Talent Relations John Laurinaitis’ office with their suitcases in hand, placed their tag team championship belts on his desk and walked out.

They claimed they weren’t respected enough as tag team champions. And even though they had eight hours to rehearse and construct their match, they claimed they were uncomfortable in the ring with two of their opponents – even though they’d had matches with those individuals in the past with no consequence.

Monday Night Raw is a scripted live TV show, whose characters are expected to perform the requirements of their contract.

We regret we were unable to deliver, as advertised, tonight’s main event.