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Wrestling World Reacts To Sasha Banks’ NJPW Debut-Bayley, Dax Harwood, And More

Mark Izzo / Professional Wrestling / January 4, 2023

Wrestling World Reacts To Sasha Banks’ NJPW Debut-Bayley, Dax Harwood, And More

Sasha Banks shocked the professional wrestling world when she appeared at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17. Banks was the biggest free agent in wrestling and she didn’t waste any time showing up to a new company. Sasha Banks, now going by Mercedes Mone, is one of, if not the best, women’s wrestlers of the last decade. Banks is a six-time women’s world champion and a three-time women’s tag-team champion in WWE. Sasha Banks, alongside Naomi, walked out of the WWE about six months ago. Neither was seen and barely mentioned in WWE since. But Banks opted to not renew her contract with WWE and appeared at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17 as Mercedes Mone.

Mercedes Mone Makes Her NJPW Debut

Mercedes Mone was rumored to appear at Wrestle Kingdom 17, but it wasn’t clear what exactly she would be doing. Mone’s contract status with the WWE was in question as well. So with all of the rumors circulating Mercedes Mone, it built up a lot of anticipation for when she will return to the ring. Well, the tide started to turn once Mone tweeted out an abundance of thank you tweets to WWE employees, including Vince McMahon.

Thank you @VinceMcMahon
— Mercedes Moné Varnado (@MercedesVarnado) January 4, 2023

Mercedes Mone appeared during Wrestle Kingdom 17 following KAIRI and Tam Nakano’s match for the IWGP Women’s Championship. Mone came out and attacked KAIRI and made her intentions very clear, she wanted the IWGP Women’s World Championship.

IT’S MERCEDES MONÉ!@mercedesvarnado is in the Tokyo Dome!!!#wk17 #njpw pic.twitter.com/PD54lqLr1L
— NJPW WORLD (@njpwworld) January 4, 2023

Reactions

The professional wrestling world was all shocked by this debut, including some wrestlers. Mercedes’ best friend and WWE star, Bayley, was in Japan in support of her. Mercedes also had some other friends there including Naomi and FTR, who were competing on the show. Plus many wrestlers took to Twitter to show their reactions to Mercedes Mone appearing in NJPW.

MONÉ
— Bayley (@itsBayleyWWE) January 4, 2023

What a life. pic.twitter.com/PPHHxmmnrr
— Uncle Dax FTR (@DaxFTR) January 4, 2023

Make that Monè, legend
— Ricky Starks (@starkmanjones) January 4, 2023

Mercedes Mone is one of the best female wrestlers on the planet. So WWE losing her is a massive deal. She is a megastar and her time away from wrestling has proven that. Mercedes Mone reportedly wanted to get paid on the same level as Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair, but WWE didn’t see her as that big of a star. If these reports are true, WWE really dropped the ball with Mone. She is a megastar and is going to continue to be that forever.