Banks and Naomi left tonight’s Raw in Norfolk.
Monday Night Raw is emanating from Norfolk, Virginia tonight and in the main event, there was going to be a six-pack challenge to determine the next challenger to Bianca Belair’s Raw Women’s Title. Announced for that six-pack match was Asuka, Becky Lynch, Doudrop, Nikki A.S.H. and WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Sasha Banks and Naomi.
That match was changed to Becky Lynch versus Asuka and PWInsider reported that the switch occurred due to Banks and Naomi walking out of the show. Since the news concerning Banks and Naomi has made the rounds, PWInsider received the following statement from WWE on the matter:
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.
PWInsider noted that Banks took umbrage with the creative for the planned main event. She had a meeting with Vince McMahon, but McMahon did not alter those plans and Banks did not change her stance either.
Fightful Select added that Naomi was scheduled to win the six-pack challenge main event to become the next challenger to the Raw Women’s Title. WWE acknowledged the walk out through Corey Graves, who stated that Sasha and Naomi left “unprofessionally”.
POST Wrestling will be recapping this situation on the next episode of Rewind-A-Raw.
