Is Sasha Banks’ hiatus from WWE coming to an end?
While in Japan this week, the absent WWE Superstar trained at 2018 Mae Young Classic competitor Meiko Satomura’s female wrestling dojo.
I am so thankful!!! A dream come true ?❤️??? https://t.co/tTkeyhrBEG
— $asha Banks (@SashaBanksWWE) July 9, 2019
According to a report by Brad Shepard of Pro Sports Extra on Sunday, Banks’ return is “imminent” after “everything was smoothed over” recently. He also claims that lingering heat between Banks and Alexa Bliss was squashed after SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley played peacemaker. Banks is “happy with changes being made” and that her “tantrum is over.”
According to a source in #WWE, Sasha Banks’ return is imminent. I’m told everything was smoothed over the last week or so. She and Alexa squashed everything with Bayley playing peacemaker. She’s happy with changes being made, the tantrum is over – she just needed “a breather.”
— Brad Shepard (@TheBradShepard) July 8, 2019
As far as what Bliss has to do with Banks’ returning, their heat had to be squashed before they could share a locker room again.
Ongoing heat between Alexa and Sasha. That had to be squashed before they could be together in the same locker room.
— Brad Shepard (@TheBradShepard) July 8, 2019
Tom Colohue of Sportskeeda reported last Monday: “While WWE and Banks are in continual contact and there have been discussions about how to encourage her back, I’m told that WWE aren’t particularly unhappy with the situation.”
Colohue was told by a WWE source that her hiatus “is not being considered as anything too out of the ordinary” since she’s taking time off.
“A few people asked for time off after WrestleMania. Sasha Banks has worked extremely long and extremely hard. She’s earned it,” the source said. “They’ve gone with Bayley and she’s doing well. When Sasha comes back she’ll slot right back in.”
Banks hasn’t stepped inside the ring since she and Bayley dropped the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship to The IIconics at WrestleMania 35 on April 7.
Wrestling Observer Newsletter editor Dave Meltzer was first to report that Banks tried to quit WWE after feeling “blindsided” over their decision to have her and Bayley drop the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship at WrestleMania 35. They were not informed until the day of WrestleMania 35 that they would be losing the titles to The IIconics in a Fatal 4-Way Match that also included Beth Phoenix and Natalya, and Nia Jax and Tamina.
Banks and Bayley lost the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship less than two months after they winning the titles at the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view. They were vocal about their desire to make the titles meaningful. As a result, Ryan Satin of Pro Wrestling Sheet also reported that Banks and Bayley were “laying on the floor of the locker room on [WrestleMania] Sunday, and back at the hotel in front of one of their rooms, loudly making it known they were unhappy about losing the tag titles.”
As part of the Superstar Shake-up, Bayley was moved to SmackDown LIVE and Banks was kept on the Raw roster. Bayley then said that she is on her own again as a singles competitor, which means The Boss ‘n’ Hug Connection has likely come to an end.
Banks’ contract status isn’t publicly known, but WrestleVotes reported in May 2018 that she re-signed with the company at the time, which suggests there could be multiple years remaining on her deal.
