The number of stars who will be in Tokyo to support Sasha Banks (Mercedes Varnado) is reportedly growing.
Banks is widely expected to appear at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17 at the Tokyo Dome on January 4. PWInsider reported on Monday that Banks' tag team partner, Naomi (Trinity Fatu) is slated to travel to Japan ahead of the show, potentially to support her.
In an update, Mike Johnson of PWInsider reports that Bayley will also be in Tokyo on Wednesday. She and Banks have been friends for years, and they have both feuded and teamed with each other throughout their time in WWE. They were the inaugural WWE Women's Tag Team Champions, and they also clashed in a number of high-profile matches, such as their classic bout at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn.
The report notes that it has not been confirmed that WWE sent Bayley to the show, but she may have decided to make the trip herself to support Banks. As a contracted WWE star, it's unlikely that she will appear on-screen at Wrestle Kingdom 17.
Naomi confirmed on Tuesday that she indeed is in Tokyo; she shared the news on her social media.
Naomi is in Japan pic.twitter.com/6Tsudz781k
— Fightful Wrestling (@Fightful) January 3, 2023
Banks and Naomi have been absent from WWE since they walked out of the May 16 episode of WWE RAW, and they were subsequently suspended indefinitely. Meanwhile, Bayley remains featured on WWE programming; she is the leader of Damage CTRL, a stable that includes Dakota Kai and IYO SKY.
Bushiroad CEO Takaaki Kidani recently noted that an appearance by Banks at the Tokyo Dome "is a possibility."
In an interview with Fightful, Rocky Romero stated that fans will have to watch NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17 in order to get an answer about the rumors surrounding Banks and NJPW.
Fightful will have coverage of NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17 as it airs on January 4.
