A second report has now stated that Sasha Banks is no longer under contract to WWE.
As noted, it was reported late on Wednesday night, via WrestlingInc’s Raj Giri, that Banks had been released from her WWE contract. No other details were provided, and it was noted that it was not clear if Banks requested the release, or if this was something from WWE’s end.
In the hours following that first report, no other sources were able to confirm the release, but no one in WWE was denying it either. It has been reported that Banks’ lawyers were working on her release from WWE, and had been working on it.
In an update, WrestleVotes is also now reporting that Banks has been released from WWE. It was noted that Banks’ release was the word going around behind-the-scenes at last night’s SmackDown taping from the Target Center in Minneapolis, among multiple sources.
“The word backstage from SmackDown tonight is that the report from @TheRajGiri is indeed accurate according to multiple sources. Sasha Banks has been released from her WWE contract,” the report stated.
For what it’s worth, Banks remains on the SmackDown roster page as of this writing. She is not on WWE Shop as of this writing, but she and Naomi had their merchandise pulled a few weeks back when WWE suspended them indefinitely over the walk-out at RAW. No internal memos have been sent to talent as of Friday night, which is usually done to inform everyone of departures, but that could change in the coming days if the release still needs to be finalized due to some sort of legal formality, or if there’s something else holding up the release from being finalized.
After working a WWE tryout camp in June 2012, Banks signed a WWE contract in August 2012 and began working WWE NXT. The cousin to Celebrity WWE Hall of Famer Snoop Dogg has been on the main roster since July 2015, making a name for herself as one of the most popular, and at times controversial, female WWE Superstars of this era. The 30 year old Banks is a one-time NXT Women’s Champion, a five-time RAW Women’s Champion, a one-time SmackDown Women’s Champion, and a three-time WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion. She was the fourth WWE Women’s Triple Crown Champion and the third WWE Women’s Grand Slam Champion.
It remains to be seen if Banks has a non-compete clause with her WWE contract, but we will keep you updated. There’s also no word on if AEW or Impact Wrestling will have interest in signing her, but it seems likely. Banks has expressed interest in working Japan at times, so it will be interesting to see what the future holds for her after WWE.
Banks has not wrestled since she and Naomi retained the WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles over Natalya and Shayna Baszler on the May 15 non-televised WWE live event from Roanoke, Virginia. Her last TV match came on the May 13 SmackDown show, where she and Naomi retained over Natalya and Baszler. Their last RAW match came just days before that as they defeated Doudrop and Nikki A.S.H. in a non-title bout. Banks and Naomi reportedly walked out of the May 16 RAW due to frustration over creative.
After suspending Naomi and Banks indefinitely and without pay, WWE announced that a tournament would be held to crown new WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions, but there’s been no update on that tournament.
Stay tuned to WrestlingHeadlines.com for the latest on Banks and Naomi. Below are links to our full coverage of their ongoing situation with WWE:
MORE COVERAGE OF THE SASHA BANKS – NAOMI SITUATION:
– Sasha Banks WWE Release Update
– Backstage Notes on the Sasha Banks WWE Release Story
– Sasha Banks Reportedly Gone from WWE
– Sasha Banks Undergoes Eye Surgery This Week
– Backstage Notes on the WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles, Sasha Banks and Naomi Suspensions
– Backstage Update on Plans for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles
– Pat McAfee Addresses His Reaction To Michael Cole Announcing Sasha Banks & Naomi’s Suspension
– Snoop Dogg Posts New Photo with Sasha Banks, More on Where Banks Was on Friday
– New Report Says Sasha Banks and Naomi Situation Is Expected To Get Worse
– Naomi Removes Mentions Of Being A WWE Star From Social Media Accounts
– WWE Removes Their Official Sasha Banks & Naomi Facebook Pages
Sasha Banks Video from Concert, WWE Pulls Banks and Naomi Merchandise, More
– Backstage News on Naomi’s WWE Contract Status
– Arianne 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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