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Former WWE star Sasha Banks, now known as Mercedes Moné, will face KAIRI for the IWGP Women’s Championship at the Battle in the Valley event in San Jose, California, on February 18, 2023.
This will be Blueprint's first match since her infamous walk-out from WWE back in May 2022. Current SmackDown superstar Shotzi recently took to Twitter to hype up the upcoming blockbuster.
"Cant wait for the banger @MercedesVarnado and @KAIRI_official is about to give. San Jose you are spoiled! Get yourself some orange sauce and a burrito at La Vics after the show!" Shotzi tweeted.
Sasha Banks and Shotzi had a few matches against each other during the former's time in WWE. The Legit Boss always emerged victorious, including a women's tag team title match where Sasha Banks and Bayley defeated Tegan Nox and Shotzi on an episode of NXT.
KAIRI faced Tam Nakano at New Japan Pro Wrestling's Wrestle Kingdom 17 event. The former WWE star came out on top to retain her title. After the match, Mercedes Moné confronted her.
While the former SmackDown Women's Champion was respectful at first, she proceeded to attack the Japanese star. She then took over a microphone to announce that she had the IWGP Women's Championship in her sights and will face KAIRI for the belt on February 18.
An AEW star commented on Sasha Banks' exit from WWE
AEW star Dax Harwood commented on Mercedes Moné leaving the Stamford-based promotion. He stated that her pride perhaps came in the way of her continuing with her previous company.
"She's very prideful. Sometimes pride can rub people the wrong way because you do stand up for what you believe in and you don't take no for an answer. But when you take it so seriously, it's a recipe for success, but a lot of people aren't going to like you because of it. I think that's maybe what happened to her," he said. [H/T: Fightful]
Mercedes Moné is arguably the biggest women's wrestling star in the business right now. She is at liberty to work anywhere she pleases, and there is speculation that she might show up in AEW in a week's time.
Britt Baker and Jamie Hayter will take on Saraya and a mystery partner on AEW Dynamite on January 11, 2023, at the KIA Forum in Los Angeles.
Could Sasha Banks be the mystery partner next Wednesday? Sound off in the comments section below.
