WWE Responds to Naomi And Sasha Banks Walking Out of WWE RAW
Before the latest edition of Monday Night Raw, women’s tag team champions Sasha Banks and Naomi reportedly walked out of the arena. The news first came from PWInsider, and WWE later confirmed it.
“When Sasha Banks and Naomi arrived at the arena this afternoon, they were informed of their participation in the main event of tonight’s Monday Night Raw,” WWE said in a statement. “During the broadcast, they walked into WWE Head of Talent Relations John Laurinaitis office with their suitcases in hand, placed their tag team championship belts on his desk and walked out.”
According to PWInsider, Naomi was supposed to win Monday’s main event and go up against Belair, but lose the match at Hell in a Cell. Banks was going to lose to Ronda Rousey for WWE Smackdown Women’s Championship. Both superstars, reportedly, didn’t like the direction of their storylines were going and were uncomfortable with who their opponents would be.
“They claimed they weren’t respected enough as tag team champions. And even though they had eight hours to rehearse and construct their match, they claimed they were uncomfortable in the ring with two of their opponents even though they’d had matches with those individuals in the past with no consequence,” WWE said.
“Monday Night Raw is a scripted live TV show, whose characters are expected to perform the requirements of their contract,” WWE added. “We regret we were unable to deliver, as advertised, tonight’s main event.”