The wrestling world will be watching New Japan Pro Wrestling tonight as Mercedes Varnado (Sasha Banks) is set to appear at Wrestle Kingdom 17. If the AEW rumors are true, Varnado may make more headlines next week.
Fightful Select reports that some of the AEW talent they spoke with said that they have been “no sold” when asked if Varnado is the person showing up next week to team with Saraya.
It was noted that because the rumor was not shot down, people in the company assume it’s her. Tony Khan has had the opportunity to dismiss the rumor in order to reduce expectations, but he has not done so. Unlike with CM Punk and Bryan Danielson, no hints have been dropped that it could be her, but that could be because they couldn’t drop hints until after January 1st, when she officially became a free agent.
According to Fightful, at least some WWE writers were caught off guard by the New Japan Pro Wrestling news, and while the deal was completed in principle by November, one WWE writer believed the company could or would get Banks back by the Royal Rumble. However, since the news about Banks in NJPW broke, the WWE source had not heard anything else on the subject.
As PWMania.com previously reported, Varnado applied to register the following trademarks through her company Soulnado Inc.:
– Mone’ Banks
– Mercedes Mone’
– Mone’ Talks
– Bank Mone’
– Statement Maker
The trademark filings suggest that she has no plans to return to WWE anytime soon.
WWE “Strongly Under the Impression” Mercedes Monè (Sasha Banks) Will Return and Not Wrestle for AEW
