Per a breaking announcement from Cathy Kelley, Sasha Banks is being removed from the Mixed Match Challenge due to injury. Kelley stated that she will miss the entire season, which is a total of 14 weeks before the finale at TLC on December 16. This comes shortly after news that Alexa Bliss will have to miss some of the MMC due to injury as well, however, being eligible to come back when she fully recovers.
WWE is polling fans on the website to come up with a name for Bobby Lashley and Banks’ replacement, Mickie James. Their first match will be on 9/25 against Jinder Mahal and Alicia Fox.
BREAKING NEWS: Due to injury, @SashaBanksWWE must step down from @WWE Mixed Match Challenge Season 2. @MickieJames will team with @fightbobby in her place. #WWEMMC pic.twitter.com/cS2TCe2JBR
— WWE (@WWE) September 21, 2018
Despite having to miss the tournament, Banks did comment on the new team of Lashley and James.
Rooting for @fightbobby and @MickieJames in the #WWEMMC! https://t.co/1dNETtAhDy
— Mercedes Moné Varnado (@MercedesVarnado) September 21, 2018
Last year, Banks teamed with Finn Balor and defeated Shinsuke Nakamura and Natalya. However, they lost in the second round to The Miz and Asuka. The popularity of the team allowed them to return to the tournament in the semi-finals with a second chance vote. However, upon their return, the two were defeated by Bobby Roode and Becky Lynch.
This year, Balor is teaming with Bayley. and Banks was slated to be the partner of Bobby Lashley. Unfortunately, for Banks, she will be sitting out for the entirety of the tournament, which raises alarming speculation on whether she will be a part of the first-ever Evolution women’s pay-per-view event. Banks has made it clear that she wanted to face Trish Stratus, but unfortunately that request was not granted to her.
Sasha Banks really wants to wrestle Trish Stratus at Evolution https://t.co/KZD8KGQ8or pic.twitter.com/9ivhMIO6YO
— Cageside Seats (@cagesideseats) August 17, 2018
Recently, Banks has been teaming with Bayley, mostly feuding against the Riott Squad. Despite their feuding, there have been no match announced for them at Evolution. In fact, only three matches have been promoted for the event, which include Trish Stratus against Alexa Bliss, Lita vs. Mickie James, and the finalists of the Mae Young Classic.
[lawrence-related id=840956]As of this writing, Banks is only scheduled to miss the 14-week Mixed Match Challenge tournament, and nothing has been announced regarding if she will be forced to miss the inaugural Evolution event. However, with Evolution only being five weeks away, the severity of the injury could be a major hurdle in her appearance at the event.
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