"It’s a dream come true"- 31-year-old star says it was an "easy" decision to leave Triple H-led WWE
With Triple H at the top of WWE’s creative process, interest in working for the company has gone up. A number of superstars have returned in recent months, with more reportedly on their way. However, Mercedes Monè, fka Sasha Banks, did not have to think hard before leaving the company to work for NJPW.
The former SmackDown Women's Champion left the Stamford-based promotion earlier this year after getting suspended from the company in May 2022. Mercedes then made her debut New Japan Pro-Wrestling debut at Wrestle Kingdom 17 on January 4. She confronted NJPW Women's Champion KAIRI after her match.
Speaking on Under The Ring, the former WWE star said it was "a really easy decision" to join NJPW:
"This is such a huge honor for me. It made it a really easy decision to go to New Japan to help kickstart this women’s division for this company. With New Japan being the biggest pro wrestling company in Japan, it was just an easy, easy decision to be like, 'This is the place that I want to be,'" said Monè.
The CEO continued:
"I grew up watching New Japan, I grew up watching Pro-Wrestling NOAH and all these Japanese women’s wrestling [companies] growing up. So this was such an easy decision. It’s a dream come true for me. I think [NJPW Battle in the Valley] is just going to create so much magic and so much history for women’s wrestling that I just want everyone around the world to be like, 'This is the company that I want to be in.'" [H/T- Bodyslam.net]
Sasha Banks thanked WWE, Triple H and more amid reports of her becoming a free-agent 👀 https://t.co/DuxZL8T9Cr
Mercedes Monè revealed that she got a text from Triple H after leaving WWE
Mercedes Monè was one of the biggest stars of Triple H's black-and-gold era of NXT. While many expected The Boss to return to WWE after Hunter took charge of the company's creative duties. However, she decided to go her own way at the start of this year.
While she may not be a part of WWE anymore, the former women's champion recently revealed that she got a text from Triple H and William Regal before her NJPW debut:
"And also at midnight, I got a very nice text from Triple H, and still it’s crazy, and I got an amazing text from William Regal this morning," Mone stated. [H/T WrestlingNewsCo]
One thing with Triple H he’ll always give Sasha Banks her flowers https://t.co/aNll5cNqNM
Mercedes Monè will take on KAIRI for the NJPW Women’s Championship at Battle in the Valley on February 18. The 31-year-old will be looking forward to establishing herself outside WWE at the event.