5 times WWE failed Sasha Banks
Following a crazy day of WWE-related news, it seems like the company has released Sasha Banks. While not fully confirmed as of this writing, all signs point toward the report being accurate.
It is pretty sad that things have come to this, as Banks has been one of WWE's biggest stars in the past few years. Despite being talented, she was subjected to some questionable booking decisions over her stay on the main roster. It could be argued that The Blueprint should be an even bigger star right now.
This list will not cover the latest incident relating to the Women's Tag Team Championship, which led her and Naomi to walk out during Monday Night RAW. However, there are plenty of other situations that left Sasha Banks and her fans frustrated.
Let's look at the five such prominent moments where WWE failed The Legit Boss, ranging from match results to full-blown storylines and everything in between.
#5 Sasha Banks lost at WrestleMania 32
@btsportwwe Triple threat WM 32 .Sasha was robbed that day https://t.co/7b2CIkPtcl
WrestleMania 32 was the stage for Sasha Banks' first big match on the WWE main roster, as she and Becky Lynch challenged Divas Champion Charlotte Flair. The night seemed set to be her coronation, as The Queen had held the title for over six months, and it was time for a change.
The moment was set up perfectly when Lita introduced the WWE Women's Championship as the prize for the winner. Additionally, Banks entered alongside her cousin Snoop Dogg, adding to the feeling that this was her night.
However, instead of creating an instant megastar, WWE went with Charlotte as the first women's champion after rebranding the belt. Despite not taking the fall, The Legit Boss suffered quite a bit from the loss. She would have been the perfect name to usher in a brand new era for women's wrestling in the company.
Flair continued to be pushed at a level above Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch, although the latter eventually surpassed her when given the opportunity.
#4 WWE books Charlotte Flair to go over inside Hell in a Cell
Sasha Banks eventually won the women's championship from Charlotte Flair right after the WWE brand split. The two dominated the RAW women's division, with their rivalry spanning close to six months.
It should have ended two months earlier than it did, with Banks and Flair being the first two women to compete inside Hell in a Cell. This, more so than WrestleMania 32, was set up for The Legit Boss to come out on top.
She was the RAW Women's Champion heading into the Hell in a Cell event in October 2016, which took place in her hometown of Boston. It was the perfect setting for a big feud-ending win.
This became more baffling when Charlotte pinned Sasha with Natural Selection to retain the title. The Queen's win sucked the air out of the arena as she got the better of her rival yet again.
#3 Title reigns lasting less than a month
Her defeat to Charlotte Flair inside Hell in a Cell was just one of many instances where Sasha Banks lost the RAW Women's Championship prematurely. Her first three title reigns ended within a month at the hands of The Queen, while the next one left fans even more disappointed.
The Legit Boss won her fourth women's title from Alexa Bliss at SummerSlam 2017, only to lose it back to her eight days later. Banks' fifth title reign in the summer of 2020 was also short, but it at least had a purpose and led to her feud with Bayley.
Nevertheless, the fact that the five-time RAW Women's Champion did not have impactful title defenses leaves much to be desired. Fortunately, WWE did a better job with Sasha Banks' reign with the SmackDown belt.
#2 WWE moving in circles with Sasha Banks and Bayley in 2018
Top Ten Worst Feuds of the last decade:
#9 Sasha/Bayley 2018
The attempt to reignite their feud in NXT flopped. The acting throughout were weak.The company couldn't make their mind up whether they wanted to go ahead. It would Start,Stop,Start,Stop
And the Dr Shelby segments... https://t.co/Ck5Te7Cgkr
2018 was a surprisingly dry year for Sasha Banks, who began it as the 'iron woman' of the first-ever Women's Royal Rumble Match. WWE planted a few exciting seeds for a feud between her and Bayley but failed to pull the trigger on it.
We saw a few promising moments, with The Hugger seemingly turning heel on her best friend. Bayley's new gimmick was well-received by fans, as another layer was added to her saga with The Legit Boss.
However, the angle was incredibly stop-start, leading to WWE scrapping it entirely. Sasha Banks and Bayley were back to being best friends, likely due to the introduction of the Women's Tag Team Championships in early 2019.
It all circles back to those pesky belts, doesn't it?!
#1 Ronda Rousey seemingly takes her spot at WrestleMania 38
Sasha Banks walkout timeline:
-Sasha vs Charlotte built for Mania
-Ronda decides to return to WWE
-Ronda takes Sasha's spot at WM
-Sasha gets put in a multi woman tag match at WM. She & Naomi win
-WWE tells Sasha she will lose to Ronda at a ppv
-She & Naomi walk out during RAW https://t.co/CI21ADNkzl
WWE has admittedly booked Sasha Banks well over the past couple of years. From the entire angle with Bayley to the WrestleMania 37 main event with Bianca Belair, The Blueprint's stock has risen quite a bit. The company looked set to further that at this year's Show of Shows.
The original plan for WrestleMania 38 had Banks challenge Charlotte Flair for the SmackDown Women's Championship. Quite appropriately, it was happening at the same stadium as her previous 'Mania defeat to The Queen in 2016.
WWE even began the build-up to their feud, with the two stars having various run-ins on SmackDown in late 2021. However, things changed when Ronda Rousey decided to return to the ring. The company gave her Sasha's spot opposite Flair, while The Legit Boss was moved to the tag team division.
Rousey won the Royal Rumble, and despite losing at WrestleMania, she is the current SmackDown Women's Champion. One can argue that Sasha would have been a better option from a creative standpoint, with the story between her and Charlotte being more organic and superior in terms of in-ring chemistry.
This was the company's latest missed opportunity with the six-time women's champion, who still did well as a tag team champion alongside Naomi following WrestleMania 38. All of them eventually caught up with the company. If reports of her release are accurate, Sasha Banks will eventually prove to be a colossal miss for WWE.