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In this week’s WWE.com exclusive interview, Michael Cole sat down with the Boss, Sasha Banks, to ask her thoughts on her Wrestlemania match, where she’s hoping to be drafted, and the new role of women in Sports Entertainment.
The interview starts with Michael Cole quizzing the Boss on her recent whereabouts (As we have reported, Sasha was out due to a concussion she received during a live event). Rather than go into detail about the injury, Sasha responded: “Don’t worry about where I’ve been, I strike when the iron is hot, and I’m coming for that WWE Women’s Championship.”
Cole speculates that perhaps Banks had been missing in action due to her photo shoot with Muscle and Fitness Hers, the popular fitness magazine that she is the current cover girl for. Banks takes a moment to encourage her fans to pick up their own copy of her spread before addressing Cole’s question regarding which Brand she is hoping to be drafted to.
Banks confirmed that she hopes to be heading to SmackDown due to it being her favorite brand during her early years. “My favorite growing up was SmackDown because my favorite of ALL time, Eddie Guerrero, was on it.” Sasha takes a few moments to address how Eddie Guerrero inspired her to become a professional wrestler and that she incorporates certain moves into her repertoire as an homage to the late Superstar.
Cole mentions that on Monday Night Raw, it was the 12 year Anniversary of fellow commentator, JBL, winning the World Heavy Weight Championship against Guerrero. Cole asks Sasha how it felt to honor Guerrero’s memory at this year’s Wrestlemania with her ring attire and use of his signature move, the Frog Splash. Smiling, Banks replied: “Goosebumps. That’s all I can say, goosebumps. I remember when I climbed up, I was like, ‘This is for, Eddie.’ …I just wanted to make him proud, I want to think that if he was still alive, he would be proud of me.”
Cole assures Sasha that having known Eddie very well, he believes Guerrero would have been very proud of her tribute. He also mentions that Eddie would have been especially proud of Sasha and Bayley’s history making battle at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn in last year’s Match of the Year candidate.
Banks had this to say about the match: “That just gives me goosebumps, because that’s been a dream of mine since I was ten.”
Sasha goes on to talk about how in the previous years, the Women’s matches had been viewed as “popcorn” matches and that since the bout at Take Over, the tide has turned for Women in professional wrestling. “…everybody was on their feet. We created something special and we ended up with a Diva’s Revolution, which evolved into a Woman’s Revolution. People are buying tickets to see the Women, we’re equal now, we’re Superstars. I’m not here to be a Diva, I’m here to be a Woman’s Wrestler. I’m here to change the game and I’m here to be the best.”
Michael Cole concludes the interview by asking Sasha if she will ever become the WWE Women’s Champion. Banks smiles and slips into her signature Boss attitude: “I was born to do this. I was born to be Champion and you can bank on that.”
Watch the interview in it’s entirety below.
What are your thoughts on Sasha Banks and Bayley setting the standard for Women’s Wrestling in the WWE? How did you feel about her Eddie Guerrero tribute? Will the Boss be the next WWE Women’s Champion?
