Amid her indefinite suspension from WWE, Sasha Banks recently underwent a procedure to improve her vision.
Newsom Eye in Florida made a social media post this week documenting Banks undergoing PRK (Photorefractive Keratectomy) eye surgery at one of their centers. The surgery is an alternative to LASIK.
We are thrilled that another #WWE superstar graced us with their presence and is now seeing clear with her #NewsomEyes
Mercedes Varnado was excited to have #PRK surgery with Dr. Newsom, and could not be happier with the results!
PRK is an alternative for those who might not be candidates for #LASIK and is especially good for those involved in high-impact sports.
Watch her pre-surgery video and then swipe left to check out her entire journey. We loved having you @sashabankswwe
Banks and Naomi were indefinitely suspended by WWE after walking out of an episode of Raw this May. Banks and Naomi walked out of the show after taking issue with the planned creative direction.
Along with their suspension, WWE announced that Banks & Naomi’s Women’s Tag Team titles were now vacant. WWE stated that a tournament would be held in the future to decide the new champions, but there’s been no update since then.
The indefinite WWE suspensions of both Sasha Banks and Naomi are without pay, according to Dave Meltzer in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
Because merchandise for both women were also removed from WWE’s online store, they also get no revenue from that either. Meltzer noted that both had merchandise available at live shows this past weekend because it was already printed ahead of time.
It’s unknown if their contracts are also frozen as a result, but Meltzer noted WWE has the right to do that. Naomi was in negotiations on a new contract as her current deal was believed to expire in the next few months while it’s unknown when Banks’ deal is up.
WWE announced last Friday on SmackDown that the now-former WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions had been suspended and that a tournament for the vacant titles would be held at some point.
The two walked out of the Monday, May 16th Raw just prior to the show going on the air over a creative dispute.
Michael Cole on Smackdown in a statement prepared for him to read, announced on the 5/20 live show from Grand Rapids, MI, that Sasha Banks (Mercedes Kaestner-Varnado, 30) and Naomi (Trinity Fatu, 34), had been suspended indefinitely and that a tournament would be held for the women’s tag team titles they had vacated.
The suspension is without pay. In addition, the company pulled all of its merchandise from its website, meaning it would not get any new merchandise revenue. There was merchandise for both women available at the live shows over the weekend because that stuff was prepared ahead of time.
Based on WWE contracts, the company also has the right to freeze the contract if suspending someone with the idea that they refused to work. In the case of Fatu, that is notable because it was believed her deal expired in around two months. It is known that her deal was coming due and she was in negotiations for a new deal. Most WWE new deals have been for significantly more money than the old deals because the competition in wrestling has raised the salary structure. It is not known when Varnado’s contract was due.
Figure Four Daily with Bryan Alvarez and Lance Storm is back with tons to talk about including tons of thoughts on AEW Dynamite, Smackdown from this week, his thoughts on the departure of Sasha and Naomi, Danielson getting his leg stuck, the Briscoes and tons more. A fun show as always so check it out~!
Wrestling Observer Live with Bryan Alvarez and Mike Sempervive is back with tons to talk about including an update on Will Ospreay, more disturbing tweets from Kota Ibushi, NOAH vs. Dragon Gate booking issues, Sasha and Naomi, the women’s tag titles and what’s next, and so much more. A packed show as always so check it out~!
On his radio show today, Pat McAfee explained his reaction to last week’s announcement that Sasha Banks & Naomi have been “suspended indefinitely” by WWE.
The suspension announcement was made by Michael Cole during last Friday’s episode of SmackDown. McAfee appeared to look confused while Cole was speaking, which drew attention on social media.
McAfee explained on his radio show that he was fascinated because it was the first time he was hearing the announcement. McAfee said he doesn’t know what to think about the situation with Banks and Naomi.
“The Sasha and Naomi thing, that was my first time hearing what Cole was saying live there. I have no idea what to think there. I have no clue. This is very fascinating. [Banks is] a superstar. They were our champions. I honestly have no idea what to believe in this whole thing. They keep me out of the loop with everything. I have no f*cking idea. While Cole was doing his thing, I was very fascinated,” McAfee said.
“I wish I had more answers for people. A couple of people asked me during my Chat with Pat on Saturday, ‘What’s going on?’ It’s like, ‘F*ck, I feel like you know more than I do.’ Literally, as that was happening, I’m like, ‘Oh, goddamn, suspended indefinitely.’ We need it [a resolution].”
Along with the suspension, WWE announced that the Women’s Tag Team titles have been vacated. A tournament will be held in the future to crown the new champions.
The suspension announcement came four days after Banks and Naomi walked out of last Monday’s Raw due to taking issue with the planned creative direction. Neither Banks nor Naomi have commented publicly on the situation.
Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and Dave Meltzer is back with tons to talk about including a health update on Will Ospreay, the latest on Naomi and Sasha after WWE buried them on Smackdown, Keiji Muto has an announcement upcoming, Pena vs. Nunez and UFC thoughts from the main event this weekend, Rampage and Smackdown reviews, AEW line-up for the PPV and tons more. A fun show as always so check it out~!
Timestamps:
Start: Will Ospreay suffering from kidney infection
1:16: Sasha Banks and Naomi indefinitely suspended
Dave Meltzer and I are back on Wrestling Observer Radio talking all the latest news in this week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter including the latest on the Sasha Banks and Naomi situation within WWE as well as Stephanie McMahon taking a leave of absence.
In addition, we talked about Raw and Dynamite’s competition when it comes to the NBA Playoffs as well as Valerie Loureda training for pro wrestling.
Lastly we took a look at the current card for Double or Nothing.
Merchandise for Sasha Banks and Naomi are no longer available on WWE’s online merchandise store.
When searching for either wrestler, a message comes up saying nothing is found.
The two were suspended indefinitely from WWE, announced Friday on SmackDown. Additionally, their Women’s Tag Team titles have been vacated and there will be a tournament held to crown new champions.
The two walked out prior to Raw Monday in protest of the creative plan for them for that night’s show and SmackDown leading into the Hell in a Cell pay-per-view.
As the story has gone, the women would have met at the end of Monday’s Six-Pack Challenge to crown a new contender for Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair. Naomi would have won and then lost to Belair at HIAC. The idea for Banks was to set a plan in motion to face SmackDown Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey at HIAC where she also would have lost.
Neither Banks nor Naomi have commented publicly since walking out.
After walking out of Raw this Monday, Sasha Banks and Naomi have been “suspended indefinitely” by WWE.
The indefinite suspension was announced during tonight’s episode of SmackDown. It was also revealed that the Women’s Tag Team titles have been vacated and there will be a tournament in the future to crown the new champions.
“Their actions disappointed millions of WWE fans and their fellow superstars,” Michael Cole said on commentary. “So because of what Sasha and Naomi did this past Monday night, they have been suspended indefinitely. And we will have a future tournament to crown the new WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions.”
Sasha Banks and Naomi have been suspended indefinitely. There will be a future tournament to crown the new WWE Women's Tag Team Champions. pic.twitter.com/8xhJe0l5bV
Cole also said that Banks and Naomi “let us all down” by walking out of Raw.
Banks and Naomi walked out of Monday’s show after taking issue with the planned creative direction. They were supposed to be part of a number one contender’s six-pack challenge in the main event of the episode. Becky Lynch, Asuka, Doudrop, and Nikki A.S.H. were going to be the other participants in the match.
Naomi was set to win the six-pack challenge and Banks was planned to start a feud with SmackDown Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey, with Naomi and Banks both going on to lose their respective title matches.
The six-pack challenge was instead changed to a singles match where Asuka defeated Lynch. Asuka will challenge for Bianca Belair’s Raw Women’s Championship at Hell in a Cell on Sunday, June 5.
WWE issued the following statement on Monday night:
When Sasha Banks and Naomi arrived at the arena this afternoon, they were informed of their participation in the main event of tonight’s Monday Night Raw.
During the broadcast, they walked into WWE Head of Talent Relations John Laurinaitis office with their suitcases in hand, placed their tag team championship belts on his desk and walked out.
They claimed they weren’t respected enough as tag team champions. And even though they had eight hours to rehearse and construct their match, they claimed they were uncomfortable in the ring with two of their opponents even though they’d had matches with those individuals in the past with no consequence. Monday Night Raw is a scripted live TV show, whose characters are expected to perform the requirements of their contract.
We regret we were unable to deliver, as advertised, tonight’s main event.
Banks and Naomi have yet to comment on the situation. They had been Women’s Tag Team Champions since winning the titles at night two of WrestleMania 38 last month.
Wrestling Observer Live with Bryan Alvarez and Mike Sempervive is back with a packed show! We’ll talk all the news including Stephanie stepping away from WWE, a few notes on Sasha and Naomi, Dave Meltzer joins us to talk the newest Observer, and Jay Bradley joins us to talk old-school OVW, the NWA, Inoki Genome Federation and more! A fun show as always so check it out~!
WWE women’s tag team champions Sasha Banks (Mercedes Kaestner-Varnado, 30) and Naomi (Trinity Fatu, 34) walked out during the 5/16 Raw show in Norfolk, VA where they were supposed to be in a six-way main event that would build to each of them challenging for the Smackdown and Raw singles women’s titles on the 6/5 Hell in a Cell PPV show in suburban Chicago.
At the start of the show, it was announced that there would be a six-pack challenge with Banks, Naomi, Becky Lynch, Asuka, Nikki ASH, and Doudrop, with the winner facing Raw champion Bianca Belair at the PPV show. It didn’t make sense that Doudrop, who had not been on television much, and ASH, who had been losing all of her matches, would be in that match while Rhea Ripley, in particular, coming off a win over Liv Morgan, would not. But that’s a minor part of the story.
Wrestling Observer Live with Bryan Alvarez and Mike Sempervive is back with tons to talk about including more on Sasha and Noami walking out of RAW plus the latest as of Thursday, AEW Dynamite recap, NO WOMEN WATCH NXT, and more, plus THE RETURN OF MIKE SEMPERVIVE! A fun show as always so check it out~!
Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and Dave Meltzer is back with tons to talk about including whatever happened to Bryan Danielson at Rampage, AEW not represented at the upfronts, Sasha and Naomi updates, ratings, the XFL TV deal, WWE in Cardiff ticket prices, AEW and NXT 2.0 TV reviews and tons more. A packed show as always so check it out~!
Start: Update on Bryan Danielson
1:40: Update on Sasha Banks & Naomi
20:10: Not much AEW representation at Warner Bros. Upfronts
24:45: Ratings
31:03: Young Rock, XFL heading to Disney
38:20: WWE in Cardiff ticket sales
51:24: UFC notes
56:13: AEW Dynamite recap
1:15:59: NXT notes
1:23:13: AEW Rampage spoilers
1:26:15: Ricky Steamboat not taking part in Ric Flair’s final match
Wrestling Observer Live with Bryan Alvarez and Jim Valley is back with tons to talk about including more on Sasha and Naomi, AEW Dynamite tonight, NXT 2.0 recap and fallout, and so much more. And, yes, JIM VALLEY! A fun show as always so check it out~!
