In a recent interview with Metro UK, AEW star Saraya (former WWE Superstar Paige) praised Mercedes Varnado (Sasha Banks) for taking her career into her own hands. Saraya also said that Banks “has done a lot for the wrestling business” and is “one of the girls that puts butts in the seats.”
“I love the fact that she took her career into her own hands, and she knows her worth and she knows she wants to be treated a certain way, and she deserves to be treated that way because she’s done a lot for the wrestling business…She’s one of the girls that puts butts in seats, and you want to see wrestle and you wanna see main event. She deserves all those things…Wherever she ends up, I’m gonna be happy for her, and anyone that gets her is gonna be very, very lucky. I just selfishly hope that I get to wrestle her one day.”
Saraya laughed as she further said that she didn’t know if Banks would want to wrestle her again, and didn’t know if she’d want to “because she’d probably be scared…” She went on to say that she would love to face Banks, and she has never has been on her [Banks] about her neck and not to stress – “things happen” – “it’s wrestling.” Saraya further said that even after the match when she was crying in the doctors office, she told Banks “it was an accident, it’s totally fine” and that the move was her [Saraya’s] fault.
Saraya closed by saying that she “got her career back” and for Banks to “please stop stressing herself about this.”
Banks has been rumored to be Saraya’s mystery partner in a match against Britt Baker and AEW Women’s Champion on the January 11 episode of Dynamite, which will take place live on TBS and emanate from the KIA Forum just outside of Los Angeles, CA.
Saraya appeared in her wrestling match since December 2017 at AEW’s Full Gear PPV back in November 2022. She suffered a major neck injury in in December 2017, when she took a kick from Sasha Banks at a house show, forcing her then to retire from in-ring competition.
WWE’s medical team then refused to clear her, keeping her under contract, in which she was used in other roles within the company, such as the General Manager of SmackDown and as a contributor for the now canceled Backstage that aired on FS1. Her WWE contract expired in July 2022 after the company chose not to renew her contract.
Banks and Namoi walked out of the May 16, 2022 episode of WWE Raw in Norfolk, Virginia due to creative differences. WWE then stripped Banks and Naomi of the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships, which they held at the time.
According to a report from PWInsider, Trinity “Naomi” Fatu is currently scheduled to be in Japan with Sasha Banks (Mercedes Vernado). Banks is set to appear at this week’s NJPW’s Wrestle Kingdom 17. NJPW sources would not confirm to PWInsider they are bringing Naomi for the January 4 show and “intimated” she would be there “on her own accord”, thus giving the impression that Fatu is simply traveling to Japan only as a support to Banks and will not appear publicly.
As of this writing, Banks and Naomi have not been listed on WWE’s internal roster for some time. However, both are still currently listed on the active roster on WWE’s website. Banks and Namoi walked out of the May 16, 2022 episode of WWE Raw in Norfolk, Virginia due to creative differences. WWE then stripped Banks and Naomi of the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships, which they held at the time.