Not many WWE Superstars have had a wrestling career like “The Boss” Sasha Banks. From main eventing NXT to wrestling in the first WWE Women’s match in Abu Dhabi, UAE, Banks has made WWE history. But she didn’t just make wrestling history by participating in first-ever matches, she’s given us some of the best matches in years.
Since 2015, Banks has made WWE’s top 25 matches of the year list (2015, 2016, and 2019). More impressively, Banks has made the top 5, five times. In addition to making history, Banks has the title reigns to back it all up. She is a former NXT Women’s Champion, a four-time WWE Raw Women’s Champion, and a former WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion.
But here is why we chose Sasha Banks as our superstar of the decade:
2012: Mercedes KV (Sasha Banks) Signs with WWE
Photo Credit: WWE.com
In the summer of 2012, Mercedes KV participated in a WWE tryout session. That same summer, she was signed by WWE and placed in NXT. After being signed by WWE, KV would now be given the ring name Sasha Banks. Banks would make her televised NXT debut on December 12, 2012. While Banks did not win her debut match, facing off against Paige, the match is a great show opener for the debuting Banks.
2013: Sasha Banks Gets Her First Televised Win Against Former Divas Champion Alicia Fox
In few weeks after making her NXT televised debut, Banks would get her first televised win. Banks would take on former Divas Champion and future WWE Hall of Famer Alicia Fox on the January 23, 2013 episode of NXT. Banks and Fox delivered a solid match that ended with Banks rolling up Fox in a small package for the win.
2013: “The Boss” is Born
On the September 25, 2013, episode of NXT Summer Rae and Sasha Banks would cut a promo. Summer Rae would coin Banks’ nickname “The Boss.”
2014: Sasha Banks Makes Her WrestleMania Debut (Sort of)
Photo Credit: WWE.com
No, Sasha Banks didn’t wrestle at WrestleMania XXX, but she did get to be featured on the pay-per-view. Hiding in plain sight, Banks was one of three WWE female superstars (Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair) to participate in Triple H’s WrestleMania entrance.
2014: Sasha Banks Makes Her Main Roster Debut
Still apart of NXT, Sasha Banks and Charlotte Flair wrestled on the December 30, 2014, episode of Main Event. Flair would win the match, but Banks and Flair always deliver in-ring.
2015: Sasha Banks Wins The NXT Women’s Championship
For the first time in her WWE career, Sasha Banks won WWE gold at NXT TakeOver: Rival on February 11. Banks defeated Charlotte Flair (c), Bayley, and Becky Lynch in a Fatal 4-Way Match for the NXT Women’s Championship. Banks’ win will lead to a 192-day title reign. The match can be considered the defining moment for the WWE Four Horsewomen. WWE would place the Fatal 4-Way Match at #5 on WWE’s Top 25 Matches of 2015.
2015: NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn–Sasha Banks (c) vs Bayley for the NXT Women’s Championship
Image Credit: WWE.com
Many fans will remember this match for several reasons. 1.) Bayley’s first WWE title win. 2.) The iconic Four Horsewomen photo and 3.) Being one of the best matches in WWE history. In addition, the match received a top spot on WWE’s Top 25 Matches of 2015. The August 22, 2015, NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn match was selected as the #2 top match of 2015. The match also won the NXT Year-End Award for Match of the Year.
2015: Sasha Banks Main Events the First Women’s 30-Minute Iron Woman Match
In just a few years after debuting in NXT, Sasha Banks was main eventing the show. Bayley (c) vs Sasha Banks for the NXT Women’s Championship at NXT TakeOver: Respect (October 7) was historic. It was the first women’s match to headline a major WWE event. It was the first 30 minute Iron Woman’s Match in WWE history. Until the Women’s Royal Rumble match in 2018, Banks and Bayley’s Iron Woman’s Match would be the longest women’s match in WWE history. NXT TakeOver: Respect was also Banks’ last match in NXT.
2015: Sasha Makes Her Offical Main Roster Debut
On the July 13, 2015, episode of Raw, “The Boss” made her main roster debut. Banks teamed up with Naomi and Tamina to create Team B.A.D. (Beautiful And Dangerous). In just a year, Banks would win the WWE Raw Women’s Championship.
2016: Sasha Banks Makes Her Official WrestleMania Debut
While Sasha Banks did make a short appearance at WrestleMania XXX, she made her in-ring WrestleMania debut at WrestleMania 32. Banks was not crowned the inaugural WWE Women’s Champion, but Banks vs Flair (c) vs Lynch would once again make the WWE Top 25 list.
2016: Sasha Banks Wins the WWE Raw Women’s Championship for the First Time
Photo Credit: WWE.com
On the July 25, 2016 episode of Raw, Sasha Banks defeated Charlotte Flair to become the WWE Raw Women’s Champion. Banks’ reign would last for a short 27 days. This was Banks’ first Raw Women’s Championship title win. This match, too, would make WWE’s Top 25 Matches of 2016. In fact, the match would make the top 5.
2016: Sasha Banks Wins the WWE Raw Women’s Championship for the Second Time
Once again main eventing, Sasha Banks challenged Raw Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair for the Raw Women’s Championship on October 3, 2016. Banks would become a 2-time Raw Women’s Champion, and hold the championship for 27 days.
2016: Sasha Banks Main Events in the First Women’s Hell in a Cell Match
Photo Credit: WWE.com
At the 2016 Hell in a Cell pay-per-view, in her hometown Boston, Sasha Banks would wrestle Charlotte Flair in the first-ever Women’s Hell in a Cell Match. Not only was the match historic, but it also made WWE’s Top 25 Matches of 2016.
2016: Sasha Banks Wins the WWE Raw Women’s Championship for the Third Time
After losing to Charlotte Flair at Hell in a Cell, Sasha Banks invoked her rematch clause. Banks and Flair would square off for the Raw Women’s Championship on the November 28 episode of Raw. Banks defeated Flair in a Falls Count Anywhere Match to become a three-time Raw Women’s Championship.
2016: Sasha Banks Participates in the second Iron Woman Match
For the second time in her career, Sasha Banks wrestled in a 30–minute Iron Woman Match at Roadblock: End of the Line on December 18, 2016. This match ended in a victory for Charlotte Flair, and finally, ended the Sasha/Charlotte rivalry.
2017: Sasha Banks Ends Nia Jax’s Main Roster Winning Streak
It took a Boss to get the job done! Sasha Banks defeated Nia Jax at Fastlane on March 5, 2017. Therefore handing Jax her first loss since joining the main roster.
2017: Sasha Banks Participates in WrestleMania 33
Sasha Banks made her second in-ring appearance at WrestleMania 33. Banks would wrestle in a Fatal-4-Way Elimination Match against Bayley (c), Nia Jax, and Charlotte Flair for the Raw Women’s Championship.
2017: Sasha Banks Becomes the #1 Contender for the Raw Women’s Championship
In a Gaunlet Match on the June 26 episode of Raw, Sasha Banks was the last woman standing. She earned an opportunity to face the Raw Women’s Champion Alexa Bliss at WWE’s Great Balls of Fire pay-per-view. Banks entered the match as the #6 entry and defeated Nia Jax. Jax had previously eliminated Bayley, Dana Brooke, Mickie James, and Emma.
2017: Sasha Banks Wins the Raw Women’s Championship for the Fourth Time
At SummerSlam 21017, Sasha Banks was crowned the Raw Women’s Champion for the fourth time in her career. This was Banks’ last Raw Women’s Championship reign. Her final single’s title reign would last only eight days.
2017: Sasha Banks Participates in the First-Ever Women’s Match in Abu Dhabi
On December 7, 2017, Sasha Banks and Alexa Bliss (c) took their rivalry for the Raw Women’s Championship all the way to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The two women competed in the first-ever WWE women’s match contested in the UAE. To respect the local culture, the two women wore special custom ring gear.
2018: Sasha Banks Enters the First-Ever Women’s Royal Rumble as the #1 Entry
The WWE Women’s Division once again made history on January 28, 2018, at the Royal Rumble. The Women’s Royal Rumble Battle Royal main evented the show. Kicking off the match was the #1 entry Sasha Banks and the #2 entry Becky Lynch. Banks lasted a strong 54 minutes, lasting longer than any woman in the 2018 Royal Rumble. Before being eliminated by The Bella Twins, Banks eliminated three women that night: Bayley, Trish Stratus, and Vickie Guerrero.
2018: Sasha Banks Participates in the First-Ever Women’s Elimination Chamber Match
Add Elimination Chamber 2018 to Sasha Banks’ list of completing in first-time women’s matches. Sasha Banks, Alexa Bliss (c), Bayley, Mandy Rose, Mickie James, and Sonya Deville all made WWE history on February 25, 2018. Banks failed to win the Raw Women’s Championship, and Bliss retained. But hey! History was made.
2018: Sasha Banks Makes Her Money in the Bank Debut
While the first Women’s Money in the Bank Match took place in 2017, the show was an exclusive SmackDown only pay-per-view. But the 2018 Money in the Bank pay-per-view was both a Raw and SmackDown show. For the first time in Sasha Banks’ career, she competed against Alexa Bliss, Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair, Ember Moon, Lana, Naomi, and Natalya in a Money in the Bank Match. In the end, Bliss would win.
2019: The Boss ‘N’ Hug Connection Are Crowned the Inaugural WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions
No one can deny that Sasha Banks isn’t a trailblazer in the WWE. Banks has participated in numerous first-ever women’s matches in her career. At the 2019 Elimination Chamber on February 17, 2019, The Boss ‘N” Hug Connection defeated five other teams to become WWE’s first-ever Women’s Tag Team Champions.
2019: The Boss ‘N’ Hug Connection Defends The WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship at WrestleMania
The Boss ‘N’ Hug Connection defended their WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships against The IIconics, Nia Jax and Tamina, and The Divas of Doom in a Fatal-4-Way Tag Team match at WrestleMania 35. The Boss ‘N’ Hug Connection did not retain the titles, and The IIconics would become the new WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions. However, The Boss ‘N’ Hug Connection would hold the titles for 49 days.
2019: WWE Chronicle and Sasha Banks’ Return
After her match at WrestleMania 35, Sasha Banks would take some time off from WWE. Her four-month hiatus from the company led to several rumors involving temper tantrums backstage and quitting the company. Banks returned to WWE on an August 12, 2019, episode of Raw. Her return shocked the Internet Wrestling Community to its core. Banks’ return would get the #2 spot on WWE’s “Most shocking moments of 2019: WWE Top 10. Fans learned more about Banks’ time off in an episode of WWE Chronicle. In the episode, Banks talks about needing time to rediscover herself.
2019: Sasha Banks vs Becky Lynch for the Raw Women’s Championship Opens Hell in a Cell
For the second time in Sasha Banks’ career, she participated in the Women’s Hell in a Cell match. Banks challenged “The Man” Becky Lynch for the Raw Women’s Championship. The two women opened the Hell in a Cell pay-per-view and delivered. Their match earned the #2 spot on WWE’s Top 25 Matches of 2019.
Other Accomplishments
Pro Wrestling Illustrated
Feud of the Year (2016) vs. Charlotte Flair
Match of the Year (2015) vs. Bayley at NXT TakeOver: Respect
Woman of the Year (2015)
Ranked No. 2 of the top 50 female wrestlers in the PWI Female 50 in 2016
NXT Year-End Award
Match of the Year (2015) vs. Bayley at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn
WWE’s The Top 25 Matches
2015
#15 Sasha Banks vs. Becky Lynch — NXT Women’s Championship Match (NXT TakeOver: Unstoppable)
#10 Bayley vs. Sasha Banks — 30-Minute Iron Man NXT Women’s Championship Match (NXT TakeOver: Respect)
#5 Bayley vs. Sasha Banks — 30-Minute Iron Man NXT Women’s Championship Match (NXT TakeOver: Respect)
#2 Sasha Banks vs. Bayley — NXT Women’s Championship Match (NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn)
2016
#15 Sasha Banks vs. Charlotte Flair — Hell in a Cell Raw Women’s Championship Match (Hell in a Cell)
#8 Charlotte Flair vs. Sasha Banks vs. Becky Lynch — Triple Threat WWE Women’s Championship Match (WrestleMania 32)
#3 Charlotte Flair vs. Sasha Banks — WWE Women’s Championship Match (Raw; July 25)
2019
#18 Women’s Elimination Chamber Match (WWE Elimination Chamber)
#5 Ronda Rousey vs. Sasha Banks — Raw Women’s Championship Match (Royal Rumble)
#2 Becky Lynch vs. Sasha Banks — Hell in a Cell Raw Women’s Championship Match (WWE Hell in a Cell)
