To my knowledge, accurately predicting the future is not in my skill set. I can, however, make an educated guess or even an assumption on any topic I choose. For now, I’ve chosen WWE Superstar and Smackdown Women’s Champion “The Boss” Sasha Banks.
A charismatic, confident in-ring competitor, Sasha is already one of the most successful and groundbreaking women in the history of sports entertainment. A 6-time WWE Women’s Champion, Banks was one-half of the first ever WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions.
Born Mercedes Kaestner-Varnado in Fairfield, CA, Sasha is the real-life first cousin of Hip Hop icon Snoop Dogg. A noted professional wrestling fan himself, Snoop inspired “The Boss” persona she created while in WWE’s Florida-based NXT promotion.
Since joining the main roster’s weekly televised RAW brand on USA Network in July 2015, Sasha’s been written into WWE’s history book for numerous milestones. She is one of the first two women to headline a major pay-per-view, one of the first two women to compete in a 30-minute Iron (Wo)Man Match, the first entrant in the first ever all-women Royal Rumble match, and one of the first two women to battle in the Hell In a Cell steel cage match. A pillar of a global business built on the suspension of disbelief, the physical and emotional commitment it’s taken for Sasha to succeed is as real as it gets.
Based on what I’ve learned watching Sasha’s already stellar sports entertainment career, my guess is she will one day be enshrined in WWE’s Hall of Fame. Seeing her shed genuine tears after title wins, I can assume Sasha’s induction will be a heartfelt affair witnessed by people she’s both impressed and inspired.
Back in February 2015, some friends and I gathered to watch NXT TakeOver: Rival – a special event presented exclusively on streaming service WWE Network. The Boss was challenging her rivals Bayley, Becky Lynch, and champion Charlotte Flair in a Fatal Four Way Match for the NXT Women’s Championship. Given their toughness, we expected a hard-hitting encounter.
At one point during their clash, Sasha wedged Charlotte’s body face-up between the middle and top ring turnbuckles, climbed above her outstretched erect frame, then jumped down into her toned mid-section with both knees. Each of us cringed at the sight of this brutal-looking maneuver. Once the exciting match concluded, it was Sasha standing tall as the new champion. Our impression: It was one of the best professional wrestling matches we’d ever seen.
Sasha’s Rival victory happened at a time when women in WWE were referred to as Divas. To my friends and I, and I assume other spectators, their matches were not held in the same regard as men’s.
After watching Sasha overcome 3 tough opponents in a bout that had us on the edge of our seats, the impression of “Divas match” never crossed our minds. Sasha’s efforts helped inspire real change; the term diva has been removed by WWE. Like the men, women are referred to as Superstars.
I can’t accurately predict the future. However, I’m not opposed to entertaining an assumption. And I’d like to assume years from now WWE will induct someone into their Hall of Fame who, female or male, was both impressed and inspired by “The Boss” Sasha Banks. |THIS.
[By Mr. Joe Walker]
