Following months of speculation around if and when Sasha Banks might return to the wrestling world, a new report states that her next appearance has been confirmed. Instead of a return to WWE, it appears that Banks' career path is taking a flight across the Pacific to the Tokyo Dome for New Japan Pro Wrestling.
Reports Claim Sasha Banks Is Set For Wrestle Kingdom 17
According to Mike Johnson of PWInsider, Sasha Banks is expected to make an appearance of some kind at New Japan Pro Wrestling's annual Wrestle Kingdom event, citing 'several sources close to the situation'. This year, Wrestle Kingdom 17 is split across two dates in January, but with January 4th being the long-standing company tradition as the biggest show of the year, an appearance from Banks would likely be on that date.
At present, it is unknown what the nature of Banks' appearance will be. Several big reveals have been done through video packages for NJPW, most recently with the announcement that Kenny Omega will challenge Will Ospreay for the IWGP United States Championship at the event, but there is nothing stopping Banks from appearing in person should this be true.
What Would Sasha Banks Do In New Japan?
Wrestle Kingdom 17 will feature the first defense of the newly created IWGP Women's Championship. After a short tournament, KAIRI, formerly known as Kairi Sane in WWE, became the inaugural champion at a crossover event between New Japan Pro Wrestling and their sister joshi company Stardom. KAIRI is set to defend the belt against Tam Nakano, but having teased a match with Banks on social media earlier this year, perhaps Banks could be KAIRI's next challenger.
The news comes amidst more developments surrounding Sasha Banks. Recent trademark filings have pointed towards a new ring-name and additional branding for Banks, suggesting that an appearance away from WWE was on the cards. With the first night of Wrestle Kingdom less than a month away, fans won't have to wait long to see if the reports are true. Should Banks stake a claim for the IWGP Women's Championship, on top of wrestling for NJPW and Stardom, their working relationships could also mean an appearance in AEW, which is already being speculated with an upcoming mystery partner for Saraya in January.
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