New Japan Pro Wrestling is bringing in Mercedes Varnado, formerly known as Sasha Banks, as she is expected to appear at Wednesday’s Wrestle Kingdom 17 event from the TokyoDome.
PWInsider.com reports that Banks’ WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship partner Naomi, real name Trinity Fatu, is currently slated to be in Japan. A source stated she was coming on her own accord. It’s unclear whether she will also be appearing at the show or Naomi is just supporting her friend, but if she does, it will mark Naomi’s first wrestling appearance since she and Banks walked out of WWE last May.
NJPW sources told the media outlet that they wouldn’t confirm they are bringing Naomi in.
The latest update on Naomi’s WWE status was in December when it was reported that her future is up in the air as “nothing has been said about her,” although Dave Meltzer was told she has to make a decision.
Naomi originally wanted to return to WWE with Banks as a tag team, but with the situation drawing out, it became a case of her needing to decide whether she wanted to sit at home, go somewhere else or return without Banks, who negotiated her WWE release months ago.
Naomi first signed with WWE in 2009 before being used on the Total Divas cast. She also found success as a singles star as a former SmackDown Women’s Champion.
