The Boss is going to the Tokyo Dome. According to PWInsider, New Japan Pro Wrestling is bringing estranged WWE Superstar Sasha Banks to their biggest event of the year, Wrestle Kingdom 17 this January 4th. The report mentions it is currently unknown what Banks’s role will be – it is unknown if she’ll be competing, or even appearing before the live crowd.
It’s a well-known fact that The Boss is a huge fan of Japanese wrestling. She has teased a match with former WWE Superstar and current inaugural IWGP Women’s Champion KAIRI several times. This match would obviously be a dream match in many circles.
Sasha Banks, along with her tag team partner Naomi, walked out on WWE back in May, and were swiftly stripped of their WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships as a result. Since then, Sasha and Naomi have not appeared on any wrestling program, though both have made public appearances in other arenas. Sasha’s last televised match was on May 13, 2022 on an episode of SmackDown, where she and Naomi successfully defended their titles against Shayna Baszler and Natalya.
Last month, Sasha filed for several trademarks that certainly sound like they could be used as wrestling gimmicks, as if she is to wrestle outside WWE, she will not be able to use her Sasha Banks moniker. These names include “Mercedes Mone'”, “Mone’ Talks”, and “Statement Maker”, seemingly playing off her real name, Mercedes Varnado.
Join the AIPT Patreon
Want to take our relationship to the next level? Become a patron today to gain access to exclusive perks, such as:
- ❌ Remove all ads on the website
- 💬 Join our Discord community, where we chat about the latest news and releases from everything we cover on AIPT
- 📗 Access to our monthly book club
- 📦 Get a physical trade paperback shipped to you every month
- 💥 And more!
