Ethan Riley
There has been much speculation about Sasha Banks and Naomi's return to WWE after they walked out in May 2022. The former women's tag team champions were dissatisfied with their creative direction and the booking of the women's division. They were suspended indefinitely by WWE and removed from programming, but with Vince McMahon no longer in charge of creative, there is increasing buzz about their potential return. While they have yet to confirm their future plans, their recent absence from a pop culture event due to a scheduling conflict has further fueled speculation about their comeback to the ring.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Reason for leaving WWE | Dissatisfaction with their creative direction as champions and the booking of the women's division |
| Date of leaving WWE | May 16, 2022 |
| Status of return to WWE | Unclear, but speculation suggests they might be returning soon |
| Factors influencing potential return | Change in leadership with Triple H taking over WWE creative, their absence being a loss for the women's division |
| Public appearances | C2E2 fan convention, promoted under their real names (Mercedes Varnado and Trinity Fatu) |
Explore related products
![Set of 2 Tag Team Championship Belts for Wrestling Action Figures [5.75 Inches Long]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61DsVphopZL._AC_UL320_.jpg)
![2020 Topps WWE Women's Division - [Base] #69 - WWE Women's Tag Team Champions Alexa Bliss & Nikki Cross def. Fire & Desire](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61+w2UoVM+L._AC_UL320_.jpg)
What You'll Learn
Sasha Banks and Naomi's dissatisfaction with WWE creative direction
Sasha Banks and Naomi's dissatisfaction with WWE's creative direction reportedly stems from the organisation's handling of the women's tag team division. The two wrestlers were Women's Tag-Team champions and were scheduled to participate in a six-woman match on RAW on 16 May. The match was to determine the challenger for Bianca Belair's Raw Women's Championship. However, it was speculated that the match would not involve Banks and Naomi defending their titles but instead see them turn on each other, with Naomi pinning Banks, winning a shot to challenge Belair for the singles championship, and Banks then losing to SmackDown Women's Champion Rhonda Rousey. This storyline would have put their tag team partnership on hold and, according to sources, caused tension and dissatisfaction with WWE's creative direction.
Banks and Naomi felt disrespected by this storyline and tried to discuss their concerns with management, but an agreement could not be reached. As a result, they chose to lay down their titles and walk out. In retaliation, WWE indefinitely suspended them, removed their merchandise, and erased them from promotional materials.
Banks and Naomi's walkout sparked discussions about the treatment of wrestlers by WWE, with some sources noting that the wrestlers were yelled at and told to "check [their] attitude" when they questioned the booking. This incident also highlighted the low status of the women's tag team division within WWE, which Banks had previously lobbied to elevate.
While WWE has not publicly addressed the specific reasons for Banks and Naomi's walkout, their statement implied that the wrestlers felt uncomfortable with their opponents and considered them "unsafe". However, sources close to the situation noted that Banks and Naomi were focused on improving the women's tag team division rather than expressing concerns about their opponents.
Written Instructions: Are Banks Legally Bound to Obey?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
![2020 Topps WWE Women's Division - [Base] #11 - The Boss 'n' Hug Connection Become the First WWE Women's Tag Team Champions](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71KoFSlpHHL._AC_UL320_.jpg)
![2020 Topps WWE Women's Division - [Base] #17 - WWE Women's Tag Team Champions The Boss 'n' Hug Connection def. Nia Jax & Tamina](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71X2OQaa7ZL._AC_UL320_.jpg)
Their issues with a new storyline
Sasha Banks and Naomi walked out of WWE in May 2022, amid frustrations with their creative direction as champions and the booking of the women's division in general. The new storyline that they took issue with was set to start that night and would have separated the tag team partners just weeks after winning their title. The storyline would have had Sasha and Naomi turning on each other, with Naomi pinning Sasha and winning a shot to challenge Bianca Belair for the singles Raw Women's Championship, only to lose to Belair. Sasha would then have challenged the SmackDown Women's Champion Rhonda Rousey, but would have lost to her as well. This would have put their tag team on hold indefinitely.
Banks and Naomi remained tight-lipped about the matter, except for Sasha's decision to unfollow WWE, Vince McMahon, and several other superstars on Twitter, and Naomi removing all mentions of WWE from her Twitter bio. The WWE released a statement announcing the indefinite suspension of the duo and the revocation of their tag team championship. The statement was notably adversarial in tone, claiming that Sasha and Naomi "let us all down" and that their actions "disappointed millions of WWE fans and their fellow superstars."
The WWE's handling of the situation has been criticized, particularly given recent events involving other wrestlers' injuries. It is speculated that the company's public shaming of the wrestlers for expressing discomfort may have been a strategic move to create bad blood with other performers. The condescending tone of the statement, directed at WWE's first Black female tag team champions, has also been called into question.
The main factor contributing to their potential return to WWE is the change in leadership, with Triple H taking over as head of creative from Vince McMahon. Triple H is known for his acclaimed booking of the women's division in NXT and his role in developing Banks' career. It is believed that Banks and Naomi have reached an agreement in principle to return to WWE, although the specifics of the contract and their future storyline remain unclear.
Monkey Banks: Early BMC Investment Worthwhile?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
$34.99
The WWE's public shaming of the wrestlers
Sasha Banks and Naomi, both WWE wrestlers, exited the show during a live broadcast of Monday Night RAW. This was due to creative disagreements and feeling underappreciated as tag team champions. Banks and Naomi had a meeting with Vince McMahon, the WWE Chairman, to express their concerns, but their issues were not addressed, leading to their unexpected departure.
The WWE's handling of the situation has been widely criticised, with many believing that the company is attempting to publicly shame the wrestlers. In their official statement, the WWE claimed that Banks and Naomi "walked out" because they were "uncomfortable" with their opponents, a decision that has disappointed "millions of WWE fans and their fellow superstars". This statement has been interpreted as an attempt to discredit the wrestlers and create discord between them and their colleagues.
The WWE's response is particularly surprising given the history of injuries in the sport, including Banks' own shoulder injury in 2019. The company's swift punishment of the wrestlers, including suspending them indefinitely and revoking their tag-team championship, has been viewed as harsh and has even turned Banks and Naomi into folk heroes among those critical of WWE leadership.
The WWE's decision to publicly shame the wrestlers has backfired, with the wrestling community and fans supporting Banks and Naomi's decision. The duo has received an outpouring of encouragement on social media, and other wrestlers have shown solidarity with them. This incident has brought attention to the disrespect and dissatisfaction that wrestlers may experience regarding creative decisions and their treatment by the WWE.
Wells Fargo: Are Other Banks Following Their Lead?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Vince McMahon's departure from WWE
As of March 2023, WWE is reportedly open to Sasha Banks' return. Banks, along with Naomi, left the company after a creative disagreement regarding the booking of its tag team titles. Banks is currently performing for New Japan Pro-Wrestling as Mercedes Mone. Banks will be a free agent soon, and Triple H, who is now running WWE's creative process, has brought back several marquee performers who previously left under controversial circumstances.
McMahon's resignation came after he had stepped down as WWE's CEO in 2022 amid an investigation into similar allegations. Following his departure, McMahon was under federal investigation for sex trafficking and sexual assault and was fined over $1.7 million by the Securities and Exchange Commission for undisclosed hush money payments.
McMahon's career and departure are documented in a six-part Netflix series titled "Mr. McMahon," which includes over 200 hours of interviews with McMahon himself, his family, associates, and wrestling industry figures. McMahon criticized the documentary as deceptive and misleading, claiming that it conflated his public persona with his true self.
Are Queen Elizabeth Bank Notes Still Legal Tender?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
![Set of 12 Wrestling Action Figure Championship Belts for Wrestling Action Figures [Series 2]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81wYkrtkXJL._AC_UL320_.jpg)
Sasha Banks and Naomi's suspension and revocation of their tag-team championship
Sasha Banks and Naomi, the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) women's tag-team champions, were indefinitely suspended and stripped of their titles in May 2022. The suspension came after the duo walked out of a Monday Night Raw taping on May 16, refusing to perform in the main event. They took issue with some creative decisions, specifically a new storyline that would have separated them just weeks after winning their tag-team title. This new storyline would have had Sasha and Naomi turning on each other, with Naomi eventually challenging Bianca Belair for the singles Raw Women's Championship, and Sasha challenging the Smackdown Women's Champion Rhonda Rousey. This would have put their successful tag team on hold.
In a statement, WWE said:
> Sasha Banks and Naomi let us all down. Their actions disappointed millions of WWE fans and their fellow superstars.
However, the reaction to their suspension and revocation of their championship titles has also turned Sasha and Naomi into folk heroes, especially among those critical of WWE leadership.
In the months following their departure, Sasha Banks and Naomi remained silent on the matter. However, in August 2022, it was reported that they had reached an "agreement in principle" to return to WWE. Their return was believed to be motivated by Triple H taking over as head of creative from Vince McMahon, addressing their past frustrations with the booking of the women's tag team division.
Best Covered Seats at Citizens Bank Park?
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
Sasha Banks and Naomi walked out on WWE in May 2022 due to frustrations with their creative direction as champions and the booking of the women's division.
Sasha Banks and Naomi were indefinitely suspended by WWE and their tag-team championship was revoked.
Sasha Banks and Naomi's return to WWE is uncertain, but there have been reports and speculation about their potential comeback.
While there is no confirmed date, there is speculation that they might make their comeback on the Nov 11 episode of WWE SmackDown.
![Complete Set of 24 Wrestling Figure Championship Belts for Wrestling Action Figures [Series 1 & 2]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/8140nEItTdL._AC_UL320_.jpg)
