It's a hot topic these days!
Gossips. Rumors.
'Sasha Banks is quitting WWE!'. 'Vince is angry with her'. 'She had enough'.
What is the truth, behind all of this - only WWE and Sasha herself knows it. We can only look at the evidence or the rumors we have.
Sasha won't be the first super-talented wrestler to left WWE because of their attitude toward her ... or her attitude toward them. Melina, Gail Kim, Emma, Ivelisse, Sable... the list is long. Every single one of these names had its troubles with the Creatives and Authorities. Sasha is not immune to this!
I will try to look from three different sides to the issue.
SASHA BANKS SIDE:
She's a strong individual. Independence and devotion, braveness and evolution are mixed in her entity in and out of the ring. She has ideas. She is creative and innovative. The rumors have it that thanks to her and Bayley, we have a WWE Women's Tag Team belts (re)introduced. And for me, this is the truth! I can see her clearly, sitting with Bayley in the Vince Office's and persuade him, how great will be to have a women's tag titles. She's capable of that and more... Because she's a fighter!
Sometimes, the Fighter needs to choose her battles carefully! To step back and to get momentum!
Two stories got my attention:
1. That she was unhappy with The IIconics title victory at WM35 (which was punishment by Vince and it was served to both Banks and Bayley in the last minute).
Maybe it's kind of true. But why then she told in an interview that if she and Bayley didn't win the Elimination Chamber titles introducing match, she preferred the IIconic to left with the belts back there? We know that both Bayley and Sasha like Peyton Royce and Billie Kay! What was the problem? For me, this rumor is not the real reason, for her absence. Maybe it's a small part of the problem (maybe not), but in this business, you must be ready to drop the belts with class and dignity and I think that Bayley and The Boss, kind of did it at WrestleMania!
It's hard, but not something to die for... Despite her love and devotion, her dedication to the belts, she might get more ambitious to get them back. And let's be honest - she is better as a singles player than as a tag team one. Not because she can't be a team player. No. But her character is strong and independent and the role of singles competitor suits her more.
2. Losing to Alexa Bliss in a handicap match.
There was a Twitter war, where The Goddess challenged Bayley and Sasha on a match, indirectly. Then it was that rumor that the match on Raw between Bliss and Bayley (which Bayley professionally loss) was meant to be a Handicap loss for Boss 'n' Hug Connection.
That was enough for Banks (as the rumor goes). She had a nervous breakdown and refused to appear on Raw.
The legend about Banks and Bliss rivalry outside the ring and gimmick, because of one missed 'thanks' is well known. But we saw that Sasha could be 101% professional and push her eventual bad feelings toward her opponent, aside and to bring 102% great match, even to drop a belt to her on Raw.
Overall, I think that maybe the stress surrounding her got too much. The pressure of dropping the belts, fighting Bliss and the Shake-Up and Bayley's transfer was too much. The stress in that business is a huge factor. Whatever it is I hope that Banks will get the right decision for herself.
WWE'S SIDE:
WWE is not #1 because it makes a lot of compromises. Sometimes they have really awful creative and road agent decisions. But there are people working in there. The Creative staff and Vince McMahon needs to deal with a lot of problems, related to the creative process. It's not that easy to send this one to face that one, or to build characters.
The WWE Superstars are employees and most of the time they must follow the ideas of the Authorities, even if they sound ridiculous - yeah, sometimes they are, sometimes they are not. Sometimes they know what to do to help your career. Sometimes they will ask you because you are that character, what are you thinking. This the business and everyone could contribute to it.
As I said upward: it's a matter of the right battle selection. The right time.
I don't think that the current WWE is that ignoring to the ideas of the Superstars and fans. Look at the PC - as the show Breaking Ground showed, Superstars are allowed to come with an idea for their own characters. It's logical Creatives and Authorities to let you try to introduce something that is comfortable for you, at first. Of course, sometimes the Superstars got ridicules ideas, and for their good, they need to be persuaded to leave the idea.
No one is perfect!
Sometimes, Vince forgets that his employees are people and people needs good motivation and conversation, not punishment. That's sad, but that is his way. I don't know if he said 'Don't kiss her arss' about Sasha, for real. We heard that he wasn't happy with her in the past, at some points. I just hope that WWE will do everything to prevent the loss of one great Superstar in the face of Banks, so into the business and so charismatic.
They have done that before, I hope that they overgrowth it.
WWE UNIVERSE:
If WWE and Sasha Banks won't reach an agreement on their collective future, the impact will be on WWE Universe's expense. Yes. The fans will suffer and the fans are those who helped WWE and Sasha Banks to be where they are.
It will be sad. Of course, many people will continue to follow Banks outside of WWE, but here is her legacy and it's not completed. She kind of owns the fans some respect, and WWE owns some respect to the WWE Universe as well.
AWOW SIDE:
I am both fan and analysists. I love women's wrestling and WWE has a special role in that. I also enjoy every aspect of the business, I love the creative part of it. I love to look and predict, what the next creatively-logical step might be. I am happy when they surprise me or it matches my thinking. As a fan, I will be unhappy and hurt to see her go. As a professional, I'll be sad to lose her character, her potential, charisma, but this is her career. For part of me, that is not a good decision. There might be a compromise. But if the cost is too hight I would understand. Everyone who can think might understand.
Sometimes I want to interfere and say: 'You fools, sit down! Sasha, tell me what you want, tell me what's insulting you, tell me what is happening with you? Now, WWE what's going on? What are your plans for her? What do you want and what actually you need form her as a wrestler and gimmick? Talk guys, say it! Say it all! Start with the things that upset you and let us finish with the good stuff or vice versa!'... For me sometimes the constructive dialogue is missing!
In the end, my official statement is that we will face whatever decision they make. Oh, I'll be mad and depressed, but that's it. Wrestling business and private decisions.
