Sasha Banks’ Twitter Handle Changed to Her Real Name amid Rumors of WWE Return
Sep 28, 2022
WWE wrestler Sasha Banks reacts before throwing out the first pitch before the start of baseball game between the Boston Red Sox and the Chicago White Sox at Fenway Park, Sunday, May 8, 2022, in Boston. (AP Photo/Mary Schwalm)
There have been rumors swirling about Sasha Banks' potential return to WWE, but it no longer appears to be on the horizon.
On Wednesday, Banks changed her Twitter handle from @SashaBanksWWE to her real name, Mercedes Varnado, leaving WWE fans wondering if she will continue to take time away from the company.
Sasha Banks just changed her @ from SashaBanksWWE to her real name Mercedes Varnado… pic.twitter.com/tGkVHEp2Ic
Along with her tag team partner Naomi, Banks has been away from WWE since they walked out of the May 16 episode of Monday Night Raw over creative differences. Wrestling Inc.'s Raj Giri reported in June that Banks was released from the company.
After the retirement of longtime WWE chairman Vince McMahon in July, speculation began to mount that Banks and Naomi could be in line for a return. Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer said he was told "there would be attempts to be made to reconcile" with the popular pair now that McMahon was no longer in charge.
New WWE head of creative Paul "Triple H" Levesque recently addressed the possibility of Banks returning to the company, telling Ariel Helwani of BT Sport, "Time will tell. Communication breakdowns are terrible, and there is a communication breakdown there for whatever reason. Starting back up that communication is not a difficult process, but it can be a process ... But she's [an] unbelievably talented young woman that can do just about anything she wants."
Since their departures from WWE, Banks and Naomi have both seen their star power rise through mainstream endeavors. They both attended the premiere of the Disney+ show She-Hulk, and earlier this month they both walked the runway at New York Fashion Week.
"It felt chaotic. It felt like my first wrestling match all over again," Banks said about the experience. "I’m back to being the new girl. It felt like everyone was like, 'Who’s this? Who’s taking my spot?' But I just had to walk in with confidence like I knew what I was doing because this has been a dream of mine for such a long time, to be in the modeling space."
While Banks is one of the most popular superstars in WWE, she has already established a path for herself outside of wrestling. She appeared in the widely popular Star Wars show The Mandalorian as Koska Reeves.
If Banks is indeed done with WWE for now, she ends her time as a five-time Raw women's champion, one-time SmackDown women's champion, one-time NXT women's champion and three-time WWE women's tag team champion.
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Bayley Comments on Sasha Banks and Naomi's Hiatus, Potential Return to WWE
Sep 17, 2022
Bayley is lending her support to Sasha Banks and Naomi amid their absence from WWE programming.
Appearing on In The Kliq (h/t Subhojeet Mukherjee of Ringside News), Bayley commented on Banks' and Naomi's WWE walkout in May and how she would feel if they returned to the company:
"Even if I was there, no one's going to understand their mindset or understand whatever happened besides Sasha and Naomi. All I know is, what they're doing now is killing it. I've been able to spend some time with them. They're models, they're actresses, they're singers, they’re amazing … No matter what they do, I support them. They're going to take over everywhere, take over the world.
"If they ever do return, I'm just gonna kick their ass. They might be scared to come back for me, they might want to stay on the runway."
On the May 16 episode of Raw, Banks and Naomi were scheduled to be part of a six-pack challenge to determine Raw women's champion Bianca Belair's next opponent. Banks and Naomi left the building before the show, however, and the match was changed to Becky Lynch vs. Asuka.
After Banks and Naomi walked out, WWE tweeted a statement accusing of them of unprofessional conduct and condemning them for their actions:
Sasha Banks and Naomi walked out on tonight’s Raw after Banks had issues with “creative ideas pitched,” per @PWInsidercom
Per Fightful Select (h/t H Jenkins of Ringside News), WWE's plan was for Naomi to win the six-pack challenge and face Belair at Hell in a Cell, which led to Banks and Naomi expressing concern over what that meant for their reign as WWE women's tag team champions.
On the next episode of SmackDown, it was announced Banks and Naomi were suspended indefinitely by WWE and had been stripped of their titles as well.
Banks and Naomi have been off TV since the walkout, and there was speculation regarding them getting released or seeing their WWE contracts expire, but the narrative changed when Triple H took over as head of creative following Vince McMahon's retirement.
Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio (h/t Nitish Vashishtha of Ringside News) reported last month that sources had indicated Banks and Naomi agreed to return to WWE with new management in place.
The return still hasn't happened, but Banks and Naomi have remained in the public eye, walking the runway at New York Fashion Week and appearing on the red carpet for the Disney+ She-Hulk series.
Bayley returned during Sasha and Naomi's absence at SummerSlam after being away for more than a year due to a knee injury.
She also created a new stable with Dakota Kai and Iyo Sky known as Damage Ctrl, and they have been running roughshod over the women's division, meaning Banks and Naomi would be logical candidates to arrive and oppose them in the near future.
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Has The Excitement for Sasha Banks and Naomi's WWE Return Worn Off?
Sep 14, 2022
From the moment then-WWE women's tag team champions Sasha Banks and Naomi walked out of the company prior to the May 16 episode of Raw, fans have eagerly waited their return.
The assumption of creative power by Triple H behind the scenes in July intensified that excitement and inspired reports of an impending comeback.
Instead of the squared circle, though, Banks and Naomi made their debut on the runway during New York Fashion Week.
It begs the question, though: Has the anticipation for their return to the squared circle worn off?
In Short, Absolutely Not
The world of WWE is one that moves incredibly fast. Since Triple H has taken charge of the company's creative efforts, fans have been treated to the returns of Bayley, Dakota Kai, Johnny Gargano, Braun Strowman and Dexter Lumis.
The WWE Universe has seen new faces put in a position to succeed and those who already had further enhanced by better booking.
It would be easy to forget about Banks and Naomi, to move on and accept they may not return to the company that helped make them stars in the first place.
But that is not the case.
Every time it feels like the excitement for their comeback has waned, the former champions pop back up in a mainstream setting. We saw it when they walked the runway at New York Fashion Week and at last month's premiere of Marvel's She-Hulk: Attorney at Law.
sasha banks / mercedes varnado ignoring a stupid question from reporter at she hulk premiere //sasha banks walking with naomi reaction video pic.twitter.com/UZxzUn6mCG
If there is any reason not to be animated about their future in professional wrestling, it is their non-commitment to returning to an industry that burned them out enough emotionally to walk away in the first place.
With that said, in an industry that thrives on the element of surprise, it would behoove both them and WWE to remain quiet. The impact of this monumental return would be lost if Banks and Naomi told a random reporter, "Of course, we're coming back"
It would ruin something so many have waited over four months for and eliminate a key element of Triple H's creative efforts, even if the knowledge of a sure-fire return may draw in more viewers.
Those returns create guttural reactions and moments that can be celebrated forever. The Game himself was the central figure in one 20 years ago in Madison Square Garden.
However, the longer things go without even the slightest hint of Banks and Naomi reentering the world of sports entertainment, the more likely the casual fan forgets. Today's society is very much an out-of-sight, out-of-mind one that routinely asks, "What have you done for me lately?"
Without them appearing on screen or even being discussed in some form by the company putting on the show they are watching, the easier it becomes to shift attention to something else...anything else.
One thing preventing that from happening is the transcendent star power of Banks, who has a Star Wars acting credit to her name and has popped up on several other mainstream programs. She even played a major role in the 2022 NCAA National Championship Game.
.@SashaBanksWWE takes the @WWEUniverse behind the scenes of her special introduction for @ESPN’s presentation of this year’s College Football National Championship game. pic.twitter.com/bnQZoavVns
The Boss' star burns bright enough that the moment Snoop Dogg's voice booms over the WWE sound system and she walks through the curtain alongside Naomi, the crowd will erupt.
Her star power in and beyond WWE, as well as the love the audience has for Naomi that was on full display during her feud with Sonya Deville a year ago, makes the likelihood of the team returning to anything less than a raucous ovation nonexistent.
Looking Ahead
With all of that said, there should still be some urgency on the WWE side of things to get a deal done (if it is not already) and bring Banks and Naomi back to the show sooner rather than later.
There is genuine excitement surrounding the WWE product for the first time in years. Triple H has created a program that fans feel comfortable coming back to and intrigued by enough to keep tuning in to see what's next.
Raw ratings were up for the first time in a while and that show feels more like the flagship it had been previously. SmackDown has been more consistently good than it has in a long time, too.
Capitalizing on the buzz surrounding the new WWE regime and creative efforts by bringing back two women believed to have been universally wronged by the last guy's booking is not only the right call but one that also benefits all involved.
Banks and Naomi get the star treatment they had been sorely lacking, the company benefits from the bump in interest, and the women's division—a clear focal point for what Triple H is doing creatively—becomes even more stacked with talent.
Their return is going to be a big day but taking advantage of the environment while you have it, before the NFL season wreaks even more havoc on TV ratings than it did Monday night, should be a priority.
This should all happen, even if it means allowing them the freedom to continue taking outside projects and building their stars. After all, mainstream media attention is what WWE has always thrived on and what better way to benefit from it than by having stars other than The Rock and John Cena participating in different ventures?
From an in-ring perspective, the matches with Damage CTRL would be outstanding. Banks and Naomi battling Dakota Kai and Iyo Sky for the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship they never lost is a story that writes itself.
And the long-established friendship between Banks and Bayley and their eventual feud would make for great television. We know this because we have seen it before.
Bring them back into the fold, give them whatever they want to make it happen, and reap the rewards.
It's a relationship that is mutually beneficial and one that can be better maintained by Triple H, who has proved before that his commitment to women's wrestling is greater than that of his predecessor.
As a result, it's more likely to net Banks and Naomi the attention and respect they are long overdue.
WWE Rumors on Roman Reigns, Drew McIntyre, Veer; Sasha Banks Discusses Her Character
Sep 12, 2022
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 16: Roman Reigns attends 2022 Fox Upfront on May 16, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)
Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from WWE and AEW.
WWE Booking Roman Reigns With Long-Term Plan in Mind
Triple H felt arguably his first twinge of backlash since taking over WWE creative after Clash at the Castle, with many feeling Drew McIntyre should have unseated Roman Reigns as undisputed champion.
It seems there was never any thought given to putting the strap on McIntyre.
Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio said WWE is booking Reigns with a long-term plan in place on who will unseat him.
"Their long-term story may have made it impossible for [Drew McIntyre] to win [at Clash at the Castle]. I mean, for the night he should have won, but they’re telling long-term stories," Meltzer said. "They want Roman Reigns to be a multi-, multi-year champion. If that’s their goal, then they didn’t want to screw up their goal. They certainly could have done it, but that’s their mentality."
With Reigns not expected to wrestle at Extreme Rules and Survivor Series typically not featuring title defenses, it's increasingly likely he will be champion as we head into 2023.
That leaves Day 1 or Royal Rumble as the likely next event where we'll see where this story is headed. Cody Rhodes and The Rock have been the two opponents most-often linked to Reigns at next year's WrestleMania. If WWE can get a Reigns-Rock match, it does not need a championship; the company could use the Rumble as a way to get the strap off Reigns and then move on to the Rock storyline.
If Rock isn't medically cleared or his schedule books up, Rhodes winning his first WWE championship at WrestleMania makes sense.
Veer Mahaan Push Put on Hold
It does not appear Veer Mahaan will be the one unseating Roman Reigns.
Fightful Select reported there are no "imminent creative plans" for Mahaan, who has not appeared on television in nearly a month. Veer's last match was a squash of Beaux Keller on the Aug. 15 edition of Raw. He has not even been used on house shows since.
Vince McMahon was still in charge during the infancy of Veer's push, but it's unclear if there was ever much of a plan for it to sustain. WWE spent months running "Veer's coming" vignettes with no payoff, and he spent his brief run in the spotlight mostly crushing jobbers.
There were occasional flashes of potential on the mic, but it's clear Triple H's creative vision differs from his predecessor in the handling of Mahaan.
Sasha Banks Wants to Own Her Character
We may have gotten our first hint at what it will take to get Sasha Banks back in WWE.
The Boss spoke on the importance of owning her creations during an appearance on Ahch-To Radio.
"For me, it’s really just owning my own IP [Intellectual Property] and owning the character behind the character and really defining, who is the character that is playing the character," Banks said. "It’s really just finding yourself. When it comes to even wrestling, that’s a character that I come up with, and I portray myself, and you have your writers coming in and giving a little more details of what they see for it. It’s really when it comes to characters in your life, it’s what you see for that character because only you know how you’re going to play it, and only you know how you see the vision of that character."
WWE owns all intellectual property rights to Sasha Banks and essentially every gimmick she's used over the course of her professional wrestling career. McMahon consistently changed the established names of characters to give WWE ownership, often drawing the ire of fans. Triple H showed less of an obsession with IP during his tenure running NXT, but it's unclear if that will carry over.
Though Banks was largely an in-house developmental project, it's possible she requested ownership over her character as part of her negotiations to return. It's widely expected that she and Naomi will be back on WWE television sometime soon after walking out over frustration with their creative direction in the spring.
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Sasha Banks Discusses Her Future Following WWE Walkout in May
Sep 10, 2022
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 15: Mercedes Varnado aka Sasha Banks attends the world premiere of Marvel Studios' upcoming new series "She-Hulk: Attorney at Law" at El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, California on August 15, 2022. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney)
Sasha Banks' future in professional wrestling remains somewhat uncertain, but she has huge plans in the works in other areas of entertainment.
Amid participating in New York Fashion Week with WWE tag team partner Naomi, Banks appeared on Ahch-To Radio (h/t Subhojeet Mukherjee of ThirstyForNews.com) and discussed her interest in getting more involved with music and acting moving forward:
"There is so much that I'm kind of creating right now. It's all under an umbrella. Like I said, I'm an actor, writer, producer, and extraordinaire entertainer. All within those realms, I'm doing something. So, you just have to stay tuned. You have a microphone, that's something big I want to do. Not podcasting, but music.
"That's probably … I don't know if that's the No. 1 next thing because acting … there are a lot of things coming up acting right now. I'm really starting to focus my mind around music and the music realm and being kind of a director in that space of creating a musical video piece."
Banks is one of the most accomplished Superstars in WWE history, but she has not been on WWE programming since May, which is when she and Naomi walked out prior to an episode of Raw.
On that show, Banks and Naomi had been scheduled to be part of a Fatal 5-Way match to determine the No. 1 contender for Raw women's champion Bianca Belair. According to Fightful Select (h/t H Jenkins of Ringside News), Naomi was booked to win, leading to Banks and Naomi expressing concern about what that meant for their status as WWE women's tag team champion.
When WWE reportedly refused to adjust the creative, Banks and Naomi left the arena, leading to WWE condemning their actions with the following statement:
Sasha Banks and Naomi walked out on tonight’s Raw after Banks had issues with “creative ideas pitched,” per @PWInsidercom
On the following episode of SmackDown, WWE announced that Banks and Naomi had been suspended and stripped of their titles, leading to rumors and speculation that both were on their way out of the company.
Things changed in July, however, when Vince McMahon retired from his roles as chairman, CEO and head of creative. In his place, WWE promoted Stephanie McMahon to chairwoman and co-CEO and Triple H to head of creative.
Triple H was chiefly responsible for signing Banks and developing her into a star in NXT, so the belief is she has a far better relationship with him than she may have with Vince.
Not long after Triple H's ascension, Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer reported that Banks and Naomi had reached an "agreement in principle" to return to WWE.
If Banks and Naomi are coming back, Monday's episode of Raw would be a sensible time for it to happen since the titles they never lost will be on the line when Raquel Rodriguez and Aliyah defend against Iyo Sky and Dakota Kai.
Regardless of whether Sasha returns to WWE or not, she likely has tons of opportunities in her future. She has already broken into acting by playing Koska Reeves on The Mandalorian, plus she has an in when it comes to the music business since her cousin is legendary rapper Snoop Dogg.
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Bayley Supports Sasha Banks and Naomi '100%, No Matter What' After WWE Walkout
Sep 3, 2022
PARIS, FRANCE - MAY 19: Sasha Banks (L) in action vs Bayley during WWE Live AccorHotels Arena Popb Paris Bercy on May 19, 2018 in Paris, France. (Photo by Sylvain Lefevre/Getty Images)
Bayley said she continues to support
Sasha Banks and Naomi after they walked out of a Raw broadcast in May
and remained away from WWE programming for the past three months.
Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated
asked Bayley whether it's possible Banks and Naomi could join her
group alongside Iyo Sky and Dakota Kai if they return to the
company.
"I haven't thought about whether
they would join or whether we would be against them, but something
would arise," she said Friday. "I just want them to know I support them
100 percent, no matter what."
Bayley returned to WWE at SummerSlam in
July after missing over a year with a torn ACL. She's served as the
leader of the stable with Sky and Kai.
The trio will face off with Bianca
Belair, Alexa Bliss and Asuka in a six-woman tag team match as part
of the Clash at the Castle pay-per-view Saturday in Wales.
Triple H, the company's new head of creative following the retirement of Vince McMahon, discussed Banks' WWE future during an interview with BT Sport's
Ariel Helwani on Friday (via Liam Winnard of WrestleTalk).
Triple H explained there was a "communication breakdown" that led to the former women's tag team
champions deciding to walk out, and now there's a process to rebuild
the relationship. He added a lot will depend on how Banks decides to
handle her career:
But she's an unbelievably talented
young woman that can do just about anything she wants. It just comes
down to what does she want to do now, with her life, her career,
whatever that is. The passion clearly for what we do... there's a
passion for other things as well. And it comes down to what does she
want to do. Because it's gotta be right for her, gotta be right for
everybody.
He didn't directly discuss Naomi's
potential return or whether their futures with the company are linked
to each other.
Banks started to receive more
mainstream recognition for playing the role of Koska Reeves in the
Disney Plus series The Mandalorian, and she also featured in the
opening video package for college football's National Championship
Game last season.
So her opportunities beyond WWE have
started to expand, and that could play a role in whether she's
interested in returning to the ring on a full-time basis.
That said, Triple H has showcased a
strong relationship with former talents leading to multiple
high-profile returns, including Johnny Gargano and Karrion Kross, so
it wouldn't be a surprise to see Banks and Naomi back with the
company soon.
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Professional wrestling is constantly evolving, and it is important to find the right time to clear up stories to set up new angles for the future. WWE and All...
Sasha Banks, Naomi Tease Comeback; RVD Talks WWE Return; Finn Balor Calls out Reigns
Aug 15, 2022
BOSTON, MA - MAY 8: Six time WWE Womens Champion Sasha Banks holds up her arms after throwing out the first pitch before the game between the Boston Red Sox and the Chicago White Sox at Fenway Park on May 8, 2022 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images)
Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from WWE and AEW.
Sasha Banks, Naomi Continue to Tease Comeback
It's becoming increasingly apparent Sasha Banks and Naomi are on their way back to WWE.
Every dirt sheet across the IWC has already pegged the former women's tag team champions for a return, and WWE's ongoing tournament to determine their replacements as champs offers an obvious storyline.
After months of radio silence, the pair have also become active again on social media.
Naomi posted a screenshot of a TikTok featuring the two Sunday on Twitter:
As soon as Vince McMahon's departure from WWE became official, the door opened wide for Banks and Naomi to return. It was clear their biggest overall problem with the company was the booking of McMahon, who often treated the women's tag team championships like an afterthought.
One of Triple H's most obvious actions since taking over for McMahon is elevating midcard championships. The Intercontinental and United States Championships have been given main-event billing on Raw and SmackDown, along with video packages that touted the history of the two historic titles.
The women's tag team belts don't have the same rich history, but they are being given prominent placement in an eight-team tournament taking place on Raw and SmackDown. Getting Banks and Naomi back in the fold will only continue the positive momentum that's taken place since Triple H took over creative.
Rob Van Dam Wants a WWE Return?
Despite being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2021, Rob Van Dam did not have any sort of legacy in-ring run to close out his career with the company.
It appears Van Dam is still hopeful that will happen. The 51-year-old has been making media rounds recently and spoke about potentially teaming with Riddle if he came back to WWE.
"That would be awesome, yeah," Van Dam told Steve Fall of NBC Sports Boston. "I feel like if they wanted me there, then I would be there. They would make it so that I would want to be there. So on the front, without having any, just being on the fence and not feeling hungry or either way, just whatever happens, like RVD is, I feel like that. I don’t know what they wanna do, what their plan is, what their agenda is for all their talent now. They seem like they want more normal-looking people that normal-looking people can relate to. I really don’t even know. It’s whatever, but you know I’m around, and I do have a legends deal with WWE."
Tagging with Riddle isn't Van Dam's only idea for a return. He also said he'd like to go one-on-one with Bobby Lashley.
“I don’t know, maybe Bobby Lashley. I have been in the ring with him before and he is in a very, very good position right now," Van Dam said at WrestleVerse.
While Van Dam would undoubtedly create a short-term pop from fans, it doesn't seem likely Triple H will bring back his Attitude Era brethren for an extended run. Van Dam hasn't wrestled in WWE since 2014. He's essentially been sitting as a free agent since leaving Impact in 2020, and WWE hasn't even chosen to bring him back for a Royal Rumble pop.
Maybe the latter is coming at some point, but it's hard to imagine Triple H's new creative direction including a ton of legends.
Balor Wants Reigns Rematch
The last time Finn Balor took on Roman Reigns, WWE decided to book one of the worst finishes of the last decade.
If you've understandably blocked it out of your memory, it went as follows: Balor summoned the Demon and was seemingly on the precipice of winning as smoke filled the ring and the camera did that whole Bray Wyatt-tinged red effect.
Then...the ring broke. Because...apparently being a demon adds 800 pounds to Balor's frame or something? We don't really know. WWE essentially never mentioned the finish to the match again and quietly moved Balor down the card into the King of the Ring tournament.
It seems Balor has not forgotten the unfortunate ending.
"I think me and Roman Reigns have a lot of unfinished business," Balor said on WWE's El Brunch. "There was a little bit of a questionable finish to our last match at Extreme Rules. When the top rope, mysterious broke in our championship match. So, I feel like there's definitely a rematch due with myself and Roman. So, hopefully, we'll get to that, soon after Clash at the Castle."
Balor is currently feuding with Edge and the Mysterios after overtaking the Judgment Day stable, which is a storyline that has again left him spinning his wheels. He is on the shortlist of talents that will hopefully benefit most from Triple H's reign after consistent starts and stops under McMahon.
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Karrion Kross stunned the wrestling world by exploding from out of nowhere and attacking Drew McIntyre on SmackDown, then indicating that he is coming for...
Sasha Banks, Naomi Reportedly Agree to Return to WWE After Walking Out in May
Aug 8, 2022
BOSTON, MA - MAY 8: Six time WWE Womens Champion Sasha Banks holds up her arms after throwing out the first pitch before the game between the Boston Red Sox and the Chicago White Sox at Fenway Park on May 8, 2022 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images)
Sasha Banks and Naomi's return to WWE is reportedly imminent.
Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer said an "agreement in principle" was reached last week, and the former women's tag team champions could be appearing as soon as Monday's Raw.
"They may have already signed by now, but a week ago, [I was told] they’re back," Meltzersaid on Sunday Night's Main Event. "It could be tomorrow. It could be in a couple of weeks. It’s whatever day they want. They are probably pacing things. You don’t want to show all your cards in Week 1 (after Triple H taking over). You want to have something big to talk about every week for the next couple of weeks. An agreement in principle was reached over a week ago."
Banks and Naomi walked out on WWE in May amid frustrations with how they were being booked. The pair have been radio silent about their departures in the months since, and it was believed they were granted their releases at some point during that time.
It's unclear whether those releases carried any type of non-compete clause, but neither woman gave any hints about their future. Both made their first public appearance together over the weekend at the C2E2 fan convention, taking pictures with fans but still offering no glimpse into their future. It's worth noting that Banks and Naomi were promoted for the event under their real names (Mercedes Varnado and Trinity Fatu, respectively).
As for what could bring the pair back, it seems apparent Triple H taking over head of creative from Vince McMahon is the biggest overriding factor. McMahon's booking, particularly of the women's tag team division, has been a source of frustration in the past—particularly for Banks.
Triple H, by contrast, was renowned for his booking of the women's division in NXT. He was instrumental in the development of Banks, who is one of the so-called Four Horsewomen of WWE with Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch and Bayley.
In a not-so-subtle foreshadowing, WWE also announced the kickoff of a tournament to determine the new women's tag team champions during last Friday's SmackDown. While the return may not happen Monday when the tournament kicks off, there's a natural conflict of a returning Boss and Glow taking on whoever winds up the winner of that tournament.
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