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Sasha Banks Makes NJPW Debut, Uses Name Mercedes Mone

By Damian Clarke • Published 4th January 2023
Sasha Banks NJPW Debut KAIRI

All the speculation proved to be true, as Sasha Banks made an appearance at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17.

Sasha Banks left WWE in May 2022 after walking out on a TV taping. At the time she was Women’s Tag Team Champion with Naomi, and the pair were eventually stripped of the titles.

Although there had been talk that Banks and Naomi would return to WWE, in the last couple of weeks the speculation built that ‘The Boss’ was destined for an appearance at Wrestle Kingdom.

That came to fruition on 4th January 2022, following the IWGP Women’s Championship match where KAIRI successfully defended against Tam Nakano.

After the lights went out, Sasha Banks made her way to the ring using her new ring name, Mercedes Mone. She would go on to attack KAIRI and raise the title belt over her head.

Mone would go on to grab a microphone and declare herself the CEO of the NJPW women’s division, before announcing that she would be challenging for the title at Battle Of The Valley, which is set to take place in San Jose on 18th February.

Hours before the event Banks had taken to social media to thank a number of people for her time in WWE, including the likes of Vince McMahon.

Whilst it’s believed that both Bayley and Naomi were in Japan to support Sasha Banks, neither were shown on screen.