Saraya Shares Thoughts On Sasha Banks

There may be no hotter topic in professional wrestling right now than the status of Sasha Banks, real name Mercedes Varnado. According to some insiders, Varnado is now a free agent, though that has yet to be officially confirmed. The former WWE world champion has been heavily rumored to make an appearance at New Japan Pro-Wrestling's Wrestle Kingdom 17 this week, and many fans believe she could be AEW star Saraya's mystery partner teased for next week's Los Angeles episode of "AEW Dynamite." Speaking to the British tabloid "Metro," Saraya lavished some praise on Varnado and her career decisions, adding some more fuel to the speculative fire about a prospective partnership between the two women.

"I love the fact that she took her career into her own hands," Saraya said. "She knows her worth and she knows she wants to be treated a certain way, and she deserves to be treated that way because she's done a lot for the wrestling business. She's one of the girls that puts butts in seats, and you want to see wrestle and you [want to] see main event. She deserves all those things."

Alongside her friend and tag team partner Naomi, Varnado walked out of WWE last year, reportedly due to creative concerns. Since then, Varnado has focused on modeling, her growing CBD business, and other creative pursuits as opposed to professional wrestling. However, it's looking increasingly likely that an in-ring return will be happening in the near future.

While there have been no definitive signs that Varnado will pop up in AEW, AEW Women's World Champion Jamie Hayter and Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. are set to take on Saraya and a partner of her choosing next week on "Dynamite," leaving the door open for another major name to join the company's women's division.