why did sasha banks leave wwe

Sasha Banks (now wrestling as Mercedes Moné) left WWE in 2022 mainly over creative frustration and how she was being used, and then chose not to return once she found better opportunities and freedom elsewhere in Japan and, later, AEW.

Why did Sasha Banks leave WWE?

The big moment: Walking out on RAW

In May 2022, Sasha Banks and Naomi were the reigning WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions when they famously walked out before a scheduled main event on Monday Night RAW.

They reportedly went to the talent relations office, put their tag belts on the desk, and left the arena, leading WWE to strip them of the titles and announce suspensions.

WWE framed it as unprofessional conduct, but the story from Banks’ side has always pointed to deeper issues behind the scenes.

Core reasons: Creative issues and dissatisfaction

Multiple reports and later interviews paint a picture of long‑building frustration rather than a sudden meltdown.

Key factors often cited:

• Creative differences
  • Banks and Naomi were unhappy with the creative direction of the women’s tag team division and how their Tag Team Championship run was being booked.

* They reportedly felt the tag titles were being treated as an afterthought, with plans that made them look weak or irrelevant instead of elevating the belts.

• Lack of meaningful storytelling
  • Banks has long been vocal about wanting logical, story‑driven wrestling and feeling undervalued when those stories weren’t there.

* Commentators and podcasters around that time emphasized that she wanted consistent, serious creative attention rather than stop‑start pushes.

• Long history of tension
  • Articles looking back on her career note a pattern: previous frustrations, a requested release that was denied, and prior hiatuses tied to burnout and dissatisfaction.

* All of that made the 2022 walkout feel like a final breaking point rather than an isolated incident.

Contract and money side

Beyond creative, there were also reports about contract value and status:

• Banks was reportedly seeking a new deal closer to what top women like Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair were earning.

• Some reports suggested WWE wasn’t willing to meet those numbers, contributing to her decision not to come back once she was off TV and her contract situation shifted.

So while creative issues were front and center, money and star‑power recognition were also part of the story.

How Sasha (Mercedes Moné) explains it now

When she finally spoke more openly (as Mercedes Moné) on wrestling podcasts, she described leaving WWE as one of the hardest decisions of her life, but also one she’s very proud of.

Key points from her later comments:

• She felt something inside her was telling her she had to stand up for herself and make a change.

• She acknowledged how difficult it was because WWE had basically been her whole life, but said stepping away allowed her to live the “best version” of her life.

• She framed the move less as a bitter breakup and more as a necessary step for personal and professional growth.

What happened after she left

Leaving WWE didn’t mean leaving wrestling—if anything, it expanded her world:

• She re‑introduced herself as Mercedes Moné and went to NJPW/Stardom, immediately positioning herself as a major attraction in Japan’s women’s wrestling scene.

• By late 2023 and early 2024, reports had her as a top free agent talking with both WWE and AEW, with AEW ultimately winning out reportedly with more money and flexibility, especially around acting projects.

That combination of creative freedom, better pay, and the ability to branch into other entertainment work is a big reason she never returned to WWE.

Forum and fan discussion angle

On forums and social media, the debate usually splits into a few viewpoints (and this is where a bit of speculation and interpretation comes in, based on how fans talk about it):

1. “She stood up for herself” camp
   • Fans here see her walkout as a bold stand against poor creative and a symbol of wrestlers valuing their worth.
   • They point to WWE’s inconsistent booking of the women’s tag belts as proof she was justified.

2. “Unprofessional move” camp
   • Others argue that walking out on a booked main event is unprofessional, no matter the reason, and that issues should be handled privately.
   • They tend to echo WWE’s official stance from their public statement at the time.

3. Middle‑ground view
   • Many fans accept both truths: WWE dropped the ball creatively, and walking out live was still a nuclear option.
   • This group often frames it as a messy but honest collision between corporate booking and an artist’s breaking point.

A typical forum‑style summary might look like:

“She didn’t just leave because of one night. It was years of stop‑start pushes, bad tag title booking, and not getting paid like the star she clearly is. The RAW walkout was just the moment everyone saw it.”

Mini timeline

1. Longstanding creative frustrations and at least one earlier requested release/hiatus.

2. May 16, 2022: Walks out of RAW with Naomi, leaving the tag belts behind.

3. WWE strips them of the titles and suspends them; they vanish from TV and are eventually gone from the company.

4. Rebrands as Mercedes Moné in NJPW/Stardom, embracing a global, high‑profile independent run.

5. Free‑agent buzz, then moves toward AEW with reported better pay and flexibility, while publicly calling the decision to leave WWE hard but one of her proudest choices.

TL;DR

Sasha Banks left WWE after years of creative frustration, feeling the women’s tag titles and her own value weren’t being taken seriously, plus contract and money disagreements.

As Mercedes Moné, she’s said it was a painful but empowering decision that let her chase better creative freedom, pay, and life opportunities in NJPW/Stardom and AEW rather than returning to WWE.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.