Mercedes Justine Kaestner-Varnado, widely known by her ring name Sasha Banks, is a female American professional wrestler, currently working with World Wrestling Entertainment on the Smackdown brand. Banks started her career with Independent wrestling units such as Chaotic Wrestling, New England Championship Wrestling, National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) and many more.
Banks has joined World Wrestling Entertainment in 2012 and was assigned to its developmental territory NXT, where she won the NXT Women’s Championship by pinning Charlotte in a fatal four-way match that also involved Lynch and Bayley.
Banks has had six championship reigns that include NXT Women’s Championship once, a record-tying four-time Raw Women’s Champion and the inaugural WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion alongside Bayley.
Banks enlisted her name with Charlotte Flair as the first women to headline a WWE pay-per-view event and the first to compete in a Hell in a Cell match.
EARLY LIFE
Mercedes Justine Kaestner-Varnado was born on January 26, 1992 in Fairfield, California, U.S. She had to travel a lot in her childhood in order to find schools and hospitals due to her brother autism problem. She persuaded her academics online. She developed her interest from a very young age and grew up watching All Japan Women’s Pro-Wrestling (AJW).
PERSONAL LIFE
Kaestner-Varnado belongs to a very popular family in which rapper Snoop Dogg is her first cousin. She is also a first cousin of music producer Daz Dillinger and singers Brandy Norwood and Ray J. Kaestner-Varnado tied a knot with WWE costume designer and retired professional wrestler, Sarath Ton, also known as Kid Mikaze, on August 4, 2016.
PROFESSIONAL LIFE
Kaestner-Varnado began her professional wrestling career in 2010 with her training at Chaotic Wrestling and stayed till 2012. She defeated Alexxis in a ‘I Quit’ Match, to win the Chaotic Women’s Championship. After successfully defending her title from other opponents, Kaestner-Varnado became the longest-reigning Chaotic Wrestling Women’s Champion in history by breaking Alexxis’s previous record of 182 days.
She was also a part of several other wrestling promotions that includes New England Championship Wrestling (NECW), National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) and many more. Kaestner-Varnado signed a contract with World Wrestling Entertainment in 2012 under the ring name Sasha Banks.
Her first feud started with Audrey Marie when as a part of a storyline, she started receiving letters from a secret admirer who was revealed to be Audrey Marie. The feud came to an end after Banks teamed up with Paige, and defeated Marie along with Summer Rae. Banks debuted a new gimmick as “The Boss”. Banks and Rae named their tag team as The Beautiful, Fierce Females (BFFs).
In 2015, she defeated Charlotte Flair in a Fatal four-way match, winning the NXT Women’s Championship. After a reign of 192 days, she lost her Championship to Bayley. Banks formed an alliance with Naomi and Tamina Snuka, and formed Team B.A.D.
Her first triple threat match was against Charlotte and Brie Bella, in which Banks suffered defeat. She faced many opponents later such as Brie Bella, Alicia Fox, and Becky Lynch.
In 2016, Banks has won Raw Women’s Championship by defeating Charlotte in a Falls Count Anywhere match. From 2016 to 2017, Banks became a four-time Raw Women’s Champion. In 2019, Banks teamed up with Bayley won the inaugural WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship.
She is currently in an alliance with Bailey, supporting her in several title matches. Banks made her WWE video game debut as a playable character in WWE 2K17, WWE 2K18 and WWE 2K19. She also appears in the mobile games WWE SuperCard and WWE Mayhem.
HONORS
Ranked No. 2 of the top 50 female wrestlers in the PWI Female 50 in 2016
Feud of the Year (2016) vs. Charlotte Flair
Match of the Year (2015) vs. Bayley at NXT TakeOver: Respect
Woman of the Year (2015) NXT Year-End Award for Match of the Year (2015) vs. Bayley at NXT
ACHIEVEMENTS
Banks is a one-time Chaotic Wrestling Women’s ChampionBanks is a one-time IWE Women’s ChampionBanks is a one-time RWC No Limitz ChampionBanks is a one-time NXT Women’s Champion
Banks is a four-time WWE Raw Women’s Champion
Banks is a one-time WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion (inaugural) with Bayley
PHYSICAL MEASUREMENTS
HEIGHT: 165 cm
WEIGHT: 52 kg = 114 lbs
EYE COLOR: Black
HAIR COLOR: Blue
PERSONAL INFORMATION
Full Name: Mercedes Justine Kaestner-Varnado
Age: 27 years
Date of Birth: January 26, 1992
Hometown: Fairfield, California, U.S.
Zodiac: Aquarius
Religion: American
EDUCATION:
School: Online study
FAVORITE CELEBRITIES
Favorite wrestler: Eddie Guerrero & Trish Stratus
Favorite actor: Brad Pitt
Favorite actress: Angelina Jolie
Hobbies: Wrestling, gymming, partying, traveling
Favorite Food: Oats and fast food
Dream Holiday Destination: Spain
Favorite Color: Black and Pink
NET WORTH
$3 Million estimated
CONTROVERSY
Sasha Banks attempted to quit WWE during WrestleMania 35 after WWE decided at the last minute to put the women’s tag team titles on The IIconics.
SOCIAL MEDIA PROFILES
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LegitSashaBanks/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SashaBanksWWE
Instagram: @sashabankswwe
