Booker T Questions Whether AEW Would Be A Good Fit For Sasha Banks
When Sasha Banks, along with Naomi, walked out of "Monday Night Raw" on May 16th and placed their Women's Tag Team Championship on John Laurinaitis' desk, the speculation that one or both women could be AEW-bound began immediately. WWE Hall of Famer and six-time world champion Booker T, however, isn't sure that's a good career move for the Boss.
"She's gonna be okay," Booker said of Banks on an episode of the "Hall of Fame" podcast. "As far as Tony Khan making that phone call quick ... I know people are going to take this the wrong way, but ... I really don't know if AEW is the place for Sasha Banks."
"After Sasha go and work Britt Baker, where does she go from there?" Booker questioned. "That's what I'm saying, and I'm not throwing any shade on Thunder Rosa, you know, Nyla Rose or any of those other girls."
Britt Baker has been with AEW since its inception, defeating Nyla Rose, Awesome Kong, and Kylie Ray in the company's first-ever women's match. Baker has since won the AEW Women's World Championship by defeating Hikaru Shida, and won the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament on the women's side at AEW Double or Nothing 2022. However, some have questioned AEW's booking of the women's division, suggesting that the company has failed to shine a spotlight on anyone aside from Baker and has generally seemed unwilling to give the division an appropriate amount of TV time. It seems unlikely that Banks, who reportedly left "Raw" over creative differences regarding the booking of the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship, would find more opportunities in a company that still doesn't have a women's tag team championship at all — though it's also possible that Banks' arrival in AEW could be the catalyst for new growth in the division.
Raj Giri reported on June 20th that Banks had been released by WWE, but WWE has yet to confirm whether this is true or not. AEW has recent received a significant influx of ex-WWE talent in the women's division, including Ruby Soho, Toni Storm, Mercedes Martinez, and Athena.
If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit the "Hall of Fame" Podcast and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription