Report: Sasha Banks Done With WWE

After 10 years with the company, Sasha Banks (AKA Mercedes Varnado) is done with WWE, according to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer.

Reports in recent days had noted that Banks was expected to be at New Japan Pro-Wrestling's Wrestle Kingdom 17 event on January 4. Meltzer has confirmed that is the case and Varnado has multiple dates booked with NJPW.

"[WWE] were talking to her about a return and they were very far apart on money. That was the last that I had heard. Again, could AEW afford her? She wanted a lot. What she was asking for was a very high number for a WWE woman wrestler but again, if you look at the amount of money WWE takes in, she still would have been underpaid. Her contract was to expire at the end of the year. However, as we've seen with so many people in that company, I mean, she hasn't worked there so they can freeze the deal and they've frozen deals for people who have walked out, they've frozen deals for people who have been hurt, and we've heard over and over again so many people who wanted to be free agents had to wait, and wait and wait. Perhaps they just figured we don't want to freeze you and you can go or perhaps her lawyer said 'we're going to challenge it' and whatever, I don't know what's happened," Meltzer said on Wrestling Observer Radio.

"I do know this, she will be going to the show. She will appear on the show, she will not wrestle on the show. She has dates with New Japan Pro-Wrestling in her deal, I do not believe it is signed. She could still sign with WWE and this could all fall apart but she has pretty much agreed to their terms. So as far as they are concerned, they have a deal. I do not know how AEW fits in. Obviously, everybody is going to jump to the speculation that she is the mystery partner of Saraya against Jamie Hayter and Britt Baker on the Forum show on January 11 and now if it's not her, it's probably going to be a terrible disappointment," he continued.

"New Japan Pro-Wrestling cannot afford to pay the numbers that WWE was willing to pay her, I can say that. AEW could, obviously, afford that. So, is it a deal where she does both? Perhaps, that I cannot confirm at all. I know when I asked AEW about it, I got a non-answer. As of right now, she's done with WWE. Like I said, it could change at any moment but that's the situation right now."

Banks has been away from WWE since she and Naomi walked out of the May 16 edition of Monday Night Raw over a creative dispute with Vince McMahon. Banks and Naomi were then suspended by WWE and stripped of the Women's Tag Team Championships. The former Raw Women's Champion reportedly held talks about a return but as mentioned, she and WWE were far apart on money.