Raw was thrown into backstage chaos when current WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Sasha Banks and Naomi walked out during the show. The belief is that Banks was unhappy with the creative for a six-pack challenge match also featuring Becky Lynch, Asuka, Doudrop, Naomi, and Nikki A.S.H. And when Vince McMahon wouldn’t change plans, she left the venue along with Naomi, who had been scheduled to win.
Now, following the show, WWE has issued a harsh statement via WWE.com in which they openly stated Raw is a scripted television show and that the duo failed to fulfill the requirements of their contracts. It would also state the duo was concerned about sharing a ring with two of their opponents, which hadn’t been previously reported.
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. 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.
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. Monday Night Raw is a scripted live TV show, whose characters are expected to perform the requirements of their contract. We regret we were unable to deliver, as advertised, tonight’s main event.
WWE.comTo say this is an extraordinary situation would be an understatement, and some fans believe this could be a work as WWE acknowledged the circumstances on air when Raw commentator Corey Graves said the duo had “unprofessionally left the arena.” However, the general consensus is this is a shoot, and the pair are legitimately unhappy at how WWE is booking the women’s tag team division. Further, and seemingly indicating Banks’ dissatisfaction with the company, eagle-eyed fans have noticed that she has unfollowed McMahon and several WWE talents, including Becky Lynch and Seth Rollins, on Twitter.
