Sasha Banks

Sasha Banks is reportedly expected to appear at a major event held by Japanese women's wrestling promotion Stardom on April 23, just three weeks after WWE's WrestleMania 39.

According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t WrestlingInc's Ella Jay), All-Star Grand Queendom was announced for April 23 at the Yokohama Arena on Thursday, and Banks looked "locked in" for the show, although it isn't yet clear what her exact role will be.

Meltzer (h/t WrestlingInc's Sean Neumann) previously confirmed a report that Banks will appear at New Japan Pro-Wrestling's Wrestle Kingdom 17 on Jan. 4 after reaching a high-dollar agreement with New Japan in November.

Since both NJPW and Stardom are owned by Bushiroad, it would make sense for Banks to appear for both companies.

Banks has not been seen in the world of pro wrestling since she and Naomi walked out prior to an episode of WWE Raw in May because of apparent creative differences.

WWE suspended Banks and Naomi and stripped them of the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship, leaving their future with the promotion in flux. It seemed more likely that they would return after Vince McMahon retired and Triple H replaced him as head of creative in July, but the two reportedly never reached an agreement.

Instead, Meltzer noted that Banks is likely to have some level of involvement with the NJPW Women's Championship match between former WWE star Kairi and Tam Nakano at Wrestle Kingdom.

Meltzer added that "many believe" Banks' in-ring return will occur at a Feb. 18 event in San Jose, California, potentially in the form of Banks challenging Kairi.

The events of that show could potentially set the stage for another Banks match at All-Star Grand Queendom.

Fans have also speculated on Banks being the mystery tag team partner for Saraya against Britt Baker and Jamie Hayter on the Jan. 11 episode of AEW Dynamite, but Meltzer reporting that Banks' first match back may not be until February suggests All Elite Wrestling might not be in the cards for Banks.

One can assume that returning to WWE will always be an option for the five-time Raw women's champion, three-time WWE women's tag team champion, one-time SmackDown women's champion and one-time NXT women's champion, but all signs are pointing toward NJPW and Stardom being Banks' focus for the foreseeable future.

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Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from WWE and All Elite Wrestling.

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Sasha Banks Headed to Japan Early

While it's the wrestling world's worst-kept secret that Sasha Banks will be making her New Japan debut at Wrestle Kingdom, she's apparently getting a jumpstart on her new career by heading over to Japan early.

Hiraki Sawa reported in a since-deleted tweet that Banks will head over to Japan this week in hopes of landing sponsorship deals with Japanese companies.

A Grand Slam champion during her tenure in WWE, it appears Banks is set for a full-scale world tour after abruptly leaving the company alongside Naomi in May. While there has been no confirmation she will step into the ring during her New Japan appearance, it's been suggested that Banks could go one-on-one with KAIRI for the IWGP women's championship.

There has also been buzz about Banks potentially joining AEW, likely as Saraya's mystery partner at the Jan. 11 edition of Dynamite in Los Angeles. It's noteworthy that no one within AEW has gone out of their way to tamp down the buzz, and the company rarely fails to deliver in these hyped-up moments.

At the very least, we'll all be getting Sasha Banks—or whatever her new moniker is—on our screens very soon and that's a win.

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Bronson Reed Makes Surprising WWE Return

Of all the possible endings to Monday's ladder match between The Miz and Dexter Loomis, no one predicted this one.

Bronson Reed made his shocking return to WWE as Loomis was preparing for victory, handing the victory to The Miz in exchange for a heaping pile of cash.

Reed was released by WWE last year as part of across-the-board cuts at the NXT brand, and he wasted no time flourishing after his departure. The Australian spent time in Impact but made his biggest impact (pun intended) in New Japan, where he defeated Kazuchika Okada in perhaps the most surprising result of this year's G1.

It didn't take any time for Wrestling Twitter to point out it's a bit of a downgrade going from winning against Okada to being The Miz's hired hand, but Reed clearly secured a hefty bag—both in kayfabe and real life—for his services.

Hopefully we'll get to see a more complete version of Reed during his second WWE run.

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Matt Cardona Praises Cody Rhodes

Since his 2020 WWE release, Matt Cardona has not been shy about putting his body on the line. His "king of the deathmatch" gimmick got him over big time in GCW and was one of the best heel storylines of 2021.

While Cody Rhodes defeating Seth Rollins in Hell in a Cell didn't quite present the visual brutality of a deathmatch against Nick Gage, it was likely the most physical pain any wrestler has gone through during a match in 2022.

Cardona heaped praise on Rhodes, a longtime friend, and called the moment "iconic."

"He had to do that match," Cardona said on Insight with Chris Van Vliet. "Was it the smartest for his health? Maybe not, but it was such an iconic moment. And it really showed that he had the balls and passion for pro wrestling. I think he gained a lot of people's respect if he didn't have it already."

Rhodes has been out of action since the night after Hell in a Cell, though he should be primed for a return in the coming month or so.

Cardona could also be finding his way back to WWE sooner than later. While nothing has been confirmed, his wife, Chelsea Green, is reportedly on the precipice of returning to the company.

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While Sasha Banks is expected back in a wrestling ring soon, STARDOM co-founder Rossy Ogawa was initially hesitant to use the former WWE superstar due to money.

Per Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t Subhojeet Mukherjee of Ringside News), Ogawa originally rejected bringing in Banks because "it wasn't cost-effective."

Meltzer added it's unclear how much Banks will be earning, but it's a "huge per-event deal" with New Japan Pro Wrestling.

Earlier this week, Meltzer noted on Wrestling Observer Radio (h/t Mukherjee) that Voices of Wrestling Banks said is being paid more than the $100,000 per show total Chris Jericho got when he worked with New Japan from 2017-20.

Jericho denied on Twitter he had a per-appearance deal with New Japan, but he did make more per-event with the promotion than for most of his WrestleMania matches:

For the record, the money I reportedly made during my run with @njpw1972 from 2018-2020 online currently is completely wrong. I never had a flat per appearance deal, I was paid according to the event. And I made more per event than I did for MOST of my Wrestlemania matches.

— Chris Jericho (@IAmJericho) December 16, 2022

Mike Johnson of PWInsider.com reported last week that Banks will be appearing at New Japan's Wrestle Kingdom 17 event on Jan. 4.

It's unclear exactly what role Banks will have on the show. She could challenge the winner of the Kairi-Tam Nakano match for the IWGP women's championship.

Banks teased a match against Kairi on Instagram earlier this year that Kairi posted on Twitter:

‼️😳 pic.twitter.com/eIqzISPGgE

— Kairi Sane (@KAIRI_official) October 16, 2022

Banks and Kairi worked together in WWE from 2016-21. Kairi, who was known as Kairi Sane in WWE, left the promotion when her contract expired in December 2021. She returned to Japan with STARDOM in February.

Kairi defeated Mayu Iwatani in the main event of Historic X-Over on Nov. 20 to become the first IWGP women's champion.

STARDOM and New Japan are both owned by the same parent company (Bushiroad), and Meltzer noted the Legit Boss' deal includes a date for one STARDOM show to help build up the brand for the all-women's promotion.

"Their belief is that with 5.6 million Instagram followers and 2.4 million Twitter followers, far more than any of their talent, that she has gigantic mainstream appeal," Meltzer wrote.

Banks hasn't wrestled on television since she and Naomi defeated Natalya and Shayna Baszler to retain the WWE women's tag team championships on the May 13 episode of Friday Night SmackDown.

Both Banks and Naomi walked out of WWE during the May 16 edition of Raw because of creative differences.

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Despite her rumored move to New Japan Pro-Wrestling, WWE officials reportedly believe Sasha Banks will return to WWE at some point.

According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t Subhojeet Mukherjee of Ringside News), WWE officials do expect Banks back in the future, although it is unclear when since the two sides are far apart on money in negotiations.

Meltzer (h/t James Holder of Inside The Ropes) previously reported this week that Banks had talks with WWE about a return, but they could not come to an agreement because Banks wanted pay comparable to Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair, while WWE didn't offer anything close to those numbers.

Per PWInsider.com's Mike Johnson, Banks is expected to appear at NJPW's Wrestle Kingdom 17 event on Jan. 4, which would be her first appearance outside WWE.

Meltzer (h/t Ian Carey of F4WOnline) confirmed Johnson's report and noted that Banks' deal is with NJPW and not something that was negotiated through WWE.

He added that Banks negotiated her release from WWE over the summer, but it was agreed upon that she wouldn't do anything in wrestling until the start of 2023.

Banks and Naomi walked out of WWE prior to an episode of Raw in May because of dissatisfaction over how they were being booked as WWE women's tag team champions.

WWE stripped Banks and Naomi of their titles and suspended them, and they haven't been seen on WWE programming since then.

The issue with Banks and Naomi occurred under the leadership of Vince McMahon, but he retired in July, and a new power structure came into existence. Stephanie McMahon and Nick Khan share the CEO role, while Stephanie is also chairwoman, and Triple H is head of creative.

There was some thought that Banks would be able to work things out with Triple H since he signed her and helped build her into a star in NXT, although the two sides apparently have yet to come to an agreement.

For now, it looks like Banks is destined for NJPW and a potential feud with IWGP women's champion Kairi, but the door is seemingly open for her to return to WWE.

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Everyone may be focused on the winter holiday season right now, but the WWE Universe has already turned its attention to January and the 2023 Royal Rumble.

With wrestling fans anticipating shocking returns and memorable moments created in the always-hectic 30-person Battle Royals, speculation is running rampant about how the Road to WrestleMania 39 will kick off.

Here are three bold early predictions for the 2023 Royal Rumble.

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Roman Reigns Fighting a War on Multiple Fronts

WrestleMania 39 is setting up to be a major showcase for Roman Reigns. If Dave Meltzer's report that WWE has discussed having Reigns wrestle both nights of the show against Cody Rhodes and Dwayne Johnson are true, then the Royal Rumble is shaping up to be a wild night.

One way to ensure the two matches occur would be to have both Rhodes and The Rock enter the 30-man Battle Royal. With Reigns perched at ringside scoping his competition to start the match, this will be the perfect start to the Road to WrestleMania.

The crowd will be in a frenzy to start the bout seeing Reigns sitting ringside, and they will explode when the first theme that hits the Titantron is for The Rock. After a triumphant return entrance and a short back-and-forth with a veteran like Dolph Ziggler, he should quickly stand alone in the ring before the next entrant is announced and stare down the world champion.

Reigns should immediately jump on the apron and shake his cousin's hand, pulling him over the top rope and eliminating him from the match. The two men would brawl to the back as the third entrant in the Battle Royal is announced; Cody Rhodes.

In poetic fashion, Rhodes would return from his torn pectoral muscle and run the table against every challenger put in front of him. After an absolute war, Rhodes should last eliminate Seth Rollins and earn his chance to challenge for Reigns' world title.

The WWE Universe would be far more interested in the Road to WrestleMania if Reigns were fighting two major battles on opposing fronts.

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Sasha Banks Wins the Weekend

With Sasha Banks scheduled to attend New Japan Pro Wrestling's Wrestle Kingdom 17 in January, speculation has run rampant that she could be done with WWE. What better way to make wrestling fans think she won't be in the Royal Rumble than allowing Banks to fulfill her dreams in Japan before returning?

Banks is one of the most talented female performers in the wrestling business, and she continues to generate interest from the WWE Universe and beyond about where she will show up next. The excitement level for her Wrestle Kingdom appearance is already through the roof, but her January could be truly historic.

Triple H and Company have struck a deal with Karl Anderson to work with New Japan in the coming months, so Banks could still be working with WWE behind the scenes and taking advantage of new freedoms afforded her by the new regime.

By pitting the Internet Wrestling Community against itself with a NJPW appearance and a lack of clarity about her wrestling status, a surprise return in the women's Battle Royal would have the WWE Universe in a frenzy.

And if Banks enters the 30-woman Royal Rumble after making so many waves since her departure without ever stepping into a ring, she would undoubtedly win the whole thing and challenge for a top title at WrestleMania.

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Sami Zayn Eliminates The Bloodline

One of the best storylines in all of wrestling over the last year has been Sami Zayn earning the trust of The Bloodline. With even Roman Reigns believing in the former NXT champion, WWE must capitalize on Zayn's status right now with a huge moment at Royal Rumble.

The subtle face turn has already started for Zayn, and a full-blown turn should come after he enters the 30-man Battle Royal and one-by-one eliminates every member of the Bloodline involved in the match.

The problem will come after he is eliminated and has to explain to Reigns and the boys why he went into business for himself. With everything predicted above with The Rock and Rhodes creating extra work for Reigns, the Bloodline will turn on Zayn and leave him decimated in the ring for his actions.

Once Zayn hits his lowest point and bares his soul about losing his friends, Kevin Owens should come to his side and the duo should dismantle The Bloodline. At WrestleMania, it can start with Owens and Zayn stealing the tag team titles from The Usos.

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Sasha Banks' rumored departure from WWE reportedly came after the company refused to make her one of the highest-paid female Superstars on the roster.

According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t James Holder of Inside The Ropes), Banks wanted pay similar to Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair, but people with knowledge of the situation said WWE never made her close to that type of offer.

Sources also told Meltzer that Banks is not viewed internally as "somebody who would be on top for the next five years," but rather as a wrestler who has already "peaked as a star."

Banks and Naomi walked out prior to an episode of Raw in May because of apparent unhappiness over how they were being booked. WWE subsequently stripped them of the WWE Women's Tag Team Championships and suspended them.

Neither of them has done anything in a wrestling capacity since then, but PWInsider.com's Mike Johnson reported this month that Banks is expected to make an appearance at New Japan Pro-Wrestling's Wrestle Kingdom 17 event on Jan. 4.

Meltzer (h/t Ian Carey of F4WOnline) followed up by reporting that Banks negotiated the Wrestle Kingdom appearance and other appearances with NJPW rather than through WWE.

It was noted that Banks negotiated her release from her WWE contract over the summer, but she agreed to not have any involvement in wrestling until the start of 2023.

Meltzer added that while Banks and WWE had contract talks after Vince McMahon retired in July and was replaced by Triple H, Stephanie McMahon and Nick Khan, they were far apart on money.

If Banks did indeed request to be paid the same as Lynch and Flair, it is understandable why, as she played a huge role along with them and Bayley in the advancement of women's wrestling in WWE.

Known as the Four Horsewomen, Banks, Lynch, Flair and Bayley changed the perception of WWE women's wrestling in NXT and enjoyed massive success on the main roster as well.

Lynch and Charlotte were part of the first-ever WrestleMania women's main event at WrestleMania 35 when they faced Ronda Rousey in a Triple Threat, but Banks also repeated the feat two years later, headlining Night 1 of WrestleMania 37 with Bianca Belair.

The 30-year-old Banks also racked up a ton of other accolades in WWE, including being a five-time Raw women's champion, three-time WWE women's tag team champion, one-time Raw women's champion and one-time NXT women's champion.

On top of that, Banks has a huge social media presence and rabid fanbase, plus she has crossover appeal based on her appearance in the Star Wars series The Mandalorian as the character Koska Reeves.

Given her importance to the growth of women's wrestling and how popular she is, WWE could come to regret its reported decision to not pay her a top rate, especially if she moves the needle for New Japan.

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The status of Sasha Banks remains a hot topic in the world of professional wrestling, but things are starting to become clearer for the former multi-time WWE Women's Champion.

Banks, who has been using her real name Mercedes Varnado, raised eyebrows when it was reported last week that she'd be making an appearance at New Japan Pro-Wrestling's marquee event, Wrestle Kingdom 17, at the Tokyo Dome on Jan. 4.

According to a new report from Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful (h/t Sunil Joseph of Ringside News), Banks is free to take bookings starting on Jan. 1 and her departure from WWE was known for quite some time:

"It was confirmed to Fightful that Mercedes' WWE exit was negotiated 'months ago,' likely when Raj Giri of Wrestling Inc. reported as much. However, WWE has yet to officially confirm this, and she remains listed on the company's official website."

Giri reported in June that Banks was released from WWE following her walkout from an episode of Monday Night Raw alongside her tag team partner Naomi over creative differences. When longtime WWE chairman Vince McMahon retired in July, it had been speculated that Banks and Naomi would return to the company at some point, but that no longer appears to be the case.

It remains to be seen what the future has in store for Banks, but as one of the biggest stars in the wrestling business, she will surely have no shortage of options.

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Sasha Banks is making headlines again as fans and insiders speculate about what she will do next.

The Legit Boss hasn't entered the squared circle since May. Nevertheless, the former WWE women's tag team champion has been a trending topic all year, which is a testament to the name she has built inside and outside of the pro wrestling bubble.

Still, the 30-year-old seems primed to take another giant leap forward in 2023.

Following her abrupt exit from WWE in May, many fans expected her to eventually return to the company where she made a name for herself.

Instead, though, Banks has appeared at red-carpet events, taken part in stunning photo shoots and filmed her first movie.

That shouldn't be a surprise as she seemed destined to head to Hollywood following her role in The Mandalorian.

However, it quickly became evident that she wasn't done with wrestling just yet. In November, the women's grand slam champion revealed she had been living in Mexico for a month to train at Bandido's Gym.

Finally, a new update stunned the pro wrestling world as Mike Johnson of PWInsider reported that Banks is set to show up at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17 on Jan. 4. This lines up with a report from Fightful Select in July, which stated she wouldn't be available for wrestling-related appearances until Jan 1, 2023.

The news raises many questions about her status with WWE and what she plans to do next. Regardless, it's not hard to see that The Blueprint could be at the forefront of the next major shift in women's wrestling.

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#andFIRST

Congratulations to the first ever IWGP Women's Champion, KAIRI!

Order the #NJPWxSTARDOM replay now!https://t.co/PrwEF0wGqG pic.twitter.com/7OdxgL50Xd

— NJPW Global (@njpwglobal) November 20, 2022

A Landmark Year for Joshi Wrestling

Wrestle Kingdom will be a historic event. At New Japan's biggest show of the year, the inaugural IWGP women's champion Kairi will defend her title against Tam Nakano.

NJPW is a subsidiary of Bushiroad, which acquired Stardom in 2019. As a result, wrestlers from Stardom have been a part of the event for the last two years. Even more, the blossoming partnership laid the groundwork for potential inroads into the U.S. market.

During NJPW's 2022 Business Strategy Presentation on Thursday, its president Takami Ohbari announced the roster would also compete at NJPW of America shows moving forward. This led to the creation of the company's first women's championship, a mantle to defend in Japan and the U.S.

In October, Kairi and Mayu Iwatani advanced to the finals of a seven-woman tournament to crown the first champion. On Nov. 20, the former WWE star defeated Iwatani to win the prize at the first NJPW x Stardom show. The monumental victory grants her the chance to be the first woman to defend it at the Tokyo Dome on Jan. 4.

The inception of the IWGP Women's Championship is one of many developments that suggest 2023 will be a landmark year for Joshi wrestling. Stardom has grown exponentially under Bushiroad, and the promotion is producing some of its best shows. It feels similar to the beginning of NJPW's rise in popularity in the early 2010s.

To that end, many of its most noteworthy stars are becoming more visible among fandom in the United States. World of Stardom champion Syuri claimed the No. 1 spot on the 2022 PWI Women's 150 list. This achievement makes her the first Japanese star from a promotion outside of the U.S. to appear on the list.

Tokyo Joshi Pro has also made waves this year thanks to Maki Itoh and Miyu Yamashita's appearances with AEW. Additionally, Thunder Rosa and Hikaru Shida competed at Summer Sun Princess in July.

Expect to see more talent exchanges between the two companies next year.

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A Fortuitous Opportunity

During her appearance on Steve Austin's The Broken Skull Sessions in February, Banks said she dreamed about wrestling in Japan before she signed with WWE. So, it almost feels too good to be true that she would be a free agent at the perfect time for her to debut in The Land of The Rising Sun.

According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, her "WWE contract is set to expire at the end of the year, and the last he had heard, the two sides were far apart on money. While a deal with NJPW has not been officially signed, Banks has agreed to terms for multiple dates in 2023 with the promotion."

Having one of Stardom's biggest stars and a recognizable name in Kairi will be beneficial. However, The Boss brings an unparalleled reputation and mainstream buzz that will give the new women's title much more exposure.

To put this in perspective, she's one of five women who have headlined WrestleMania. She also competed in the most influential women's match of this era with Bayley at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn in 2015.

New Japan couldn't ask for a better option to help it build a new legacy around the IWGP Women's Championship.

The Boston native will likely stake her claim to the title ahead of the next Wrestle Kingdom show at Yokohama Arena on Jan 21. Of course, that's just a guess, but you don't bring in a major star like Banks to be a spectator when trying to create a legitimate source of women's wrestling.

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"Good luck. You'll never beat me and @jmehytr." @RealBrittBaker @Saraya#AEWDynamite is LIVE on TBS! pic.twitter.com/C42eCeHgqw

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) December 8, 2022

An Unexpected Alliance

The report that Banks will be at Wrestle Kingdom also sparked discussion among fans because it came the day after another story developed. On the latest episode of AEW Dynamite, Britt Baker challenged Saraya to a tag team match at the Kia Forum on Jan. 11.

It seems peculiar that AEW would book the match so far ahead and make it evident there would be a mystery partner. Now that we have reason to believe The Boss is accepting bookings outside of WWE in January, it has to be her, right?

After all, Banks is also important to Saraya's journey back to wrestling. She infamously delivered the kick that reaggravated her neck injury in her last WWE match.

During a recent appearance on The Sessions with Renée Paquette, the English wrestler revealed that her former colleague was the first person she called when she found out she was cleared to wrestle.

Seeing the two team up for the first time since 2017 would be a powerful moment. It would also be a game-changer for AEW. Viewers have regularly criticized the company's use of its women's division, but this could be another necessary shot in the arm.

There has been notable progress since All Out, but a major star such as Banks would be a huge asset. It would be worth it even if she's only interested in a per-appearance deal similar to her agreement with NJPW.

It's still unclear why her negotiations with WWE broke down. Many expected Triple H to remedy the situation by the end of the year. Maybe she's simply planning to check some things off her bucket list and raise her profile in hopes of eventually returning for a bigger payday.

Mercedes Varnado debuted with NXT 10 years ago. In that time, she has accomplished everything there is to do with WWE and then some. She has already cemented herself as one of the greatest women's wrestlers ever.

The Boss has made history time and time again. It could be time for her to bet on herself again and help to advance women's wrestling elsewhere.