WWE has announced that Sasha Banks and Naomi have been suspended indefinitely, and that new WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions will be crowned soon.
As we’ve noted, Banks and Naomi walked out of Monday’s WWE RAW after reportedly being unhappy with creative plans. They reportedly left the WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles with WWE Talent Relations head John Laurinaitis, and left the arena. You can click here for the latest backstage details and internal reactions on the incident, including WWE’s previous statement with news on singles matches planned for Banks and Naomi coming out of the original RAW plans, with links to our various updates. You can also find the various links to our coverage at the end of this article.
In an update, tonight’s SmackDown on FOX featured a ringside segment where Michael Cole addressed the situation. Cole said Banks and Naomi let everyone down on Monday when they walked off the show and out of the arena during RAW.
Cole went on to explain how Banks and Naomi were scheduled to compete in the Six-Pack Challenge to determine a new #1 contender to RAW Women’s Champion Bianca Belair, along with Asuka, Becky Lynch, Doudrop, and Nikki A.S.H., but instead they took the titles to the Head of Talent Relations John Laurinaitis, left them there and walked out. WWE ended up changing the main event to Asuka vs. Lynch, and Asuka won to earn a match with Belair at WWE Hell In a Cell. The original plan had Naomi winning the main event, then challenging Belair at Hell In a Cell.
Cole also said Banks and Naomi disappointed millions of fans and their fellow Superstars, and because of what they did on Monday, they have been suspended indefinitely. Cole also announced that there will be a future tournament to crown new WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions.
There’s no word yet on when the tournament will be held, or how long Banks and Naomi are suspended for.
Banks and Naomi were not backstage for tonight’s SmackDown in Grand Rapids, Michigan, according to multiple sources. They have not publicly commented on the SmackDown announcement as of this writing.
The way WWE made tonight’s announcement was very interesting and far from what they usually do. While there has been a lot of speculation on the whole Banks – Naomi situation being some kind of work or part of a storyline, multiple sources insist that it is not.
Stay tuned for more on Banks and Naomi, and the WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles. Below is footage of the segment with Cole on SmackDown:
MORE COVERAGE OF THE SASHA BANKS – NAOMI INCIDENT:
– Backstage News on Naomi’s WWE Contract Status
– Ariane Andrew Believes Naomi Was Manipulated Into Walking Out On WWE
– Interesting Backstage Talk on How People In WWE Are Reacting to Sasha Banks and Naomi
– Bully Ray Wonders If Sasha and Naomi Walkout Was A Work So Naomi Could Join The Bloodline
– Lots of Backstage WWE RAW Notes on Sasha Banks and Naomi, Banks vs. Ronda Rousey?, More
– Person Close to Naomi Reveals Details on What Led to Sasha Banks and Naomi Incident at WWE RAW?
– WWE Issues Statement on Sasha Banks and Naomi, Claim They Handed Over Their Titles
– Sasha Banks and Naomi Reportedly Walk Out of Tonight’s RAW
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