Many people questioned the reports suggesting that Sasha Banks and Naomi walked out of Raw because the latter was supposed to win the six-pack challenge main event at the show. PWinsider has provided some more updates and shed some light on how things unfolded on Monday before the Raw episode.
Per the site, the original plans were for Naomi to beat Sasha Banks to win the main event. This confrontation would have been built with multiple segments throughout the show. The Raw episode then would have gone off air with the duo celebrating Naomi becoming the #1 contender for the Raw women’s championship.
There are some who believe that Banks was also going to get a shot at the SmackDown women’s title. A segment on Friday’s SmackDown would have set a match between her and Ronda Rousey, presumably for Hell In A Cell. Though both the tag team partners were expected to lose their respective title matches. This would effectively mean that the women’s tag team champions would have been used to put over the champions of Raw and SmackDown.
An alternative idea for a women’s championship feud was pitched after some concerns were raised over the original plans. The idea was for the tag team champions to have a short match and then get attacked to set up a championship feud with Doudrop and Nikki A.S.H. However, Sasha Banks and Naomi were informed by WWE producer Molly Holly not long before the show went on air that the officials had decided to go in the direction of the six-pack challenge instead.
When Mr McMahon Found Out About Sasha Banks and Naomi
Shortly after learning about this change, Banks and Naomi walked into the office of John Laurinaitis. They informed him of their decision to leave and left the championship belts behind. Vince McMahon was informed of the events right after Raw went on air.
The Becky Lynch – Adam Pearce segment that took place during the show was then pitched on the spot. One source has credited Lynch for the idea. Mr McMahon ordered for the segment to be shot and placed on the show to explain the change in the main event which had already been announced by that point.
The belief among some is that the creative issues weren’t about the finish of the show but how the duo would have been portrayed over the coming weeks, leading to the upcoming PPV. Nobody knew what would happen to their team after the show. This was especially problematic because Mr McMahon himself had ordered Banks and Naomi to team up for WrestleMania 38 and they worked hard to build their team.
Sasha Banks has since unfollowed Vince McMahon and other WWE accounts on Twitter. Meanwhile, report suggest that the locker room is not sympathetic towards the boss for her actions on Monday. How this story will evolve is anyone’s guess. We will keep you updated on any further development.
