It has been all but officially confirmed that Sasha Banks will be appearing at Wrestle Kingdom 17, making her first pro wrestling appearance since walking out of the WWE several months ago. But, despite the fractured relationship between WWE and The Boss, a major WWE star is reportedly in Tokyo to, there to support Sasha Banks as she makes her wrestling return.
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Bayley Reportedly In Tokyo For Wrestle Kingdom 17 With Sasha Banks
Per PWInsider, Bayley has made the trip to Japan to see her close friend take the next big step in her career and debut in the Tokyo Dome for NJPW. This comes alongside the news that Naomi, another close connection of Banks', is also in Tokyo for the event. Like Banks, Naomi has yet to make a wrestling-related appearance since the duo walked out as reigning WWE Women's Tag Team Championships in the summer.
Though it is entirely possible that Naomi could make an on-screen appearance alongside Banks, fans shouldn't expect to see Bayley in front of the Tokyo Dome crowd. PWInsider 'could not confirm that WWE sent Bayley to the show', but given the close friendship between her and Sasha Banks, it is likely that she has gone purely to be there for the grand occasion that is sure to rock the wrestling world.
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WWE's Presence In Japan During The Biggest Time Of Year
Bayley would not be the only WWE Superstar in attendance for Wrestle Kingdom. With his defense of the NEVER Openweight Championship against Tama Tonga, Karl Anderson earns the distinction of being the first WWE-contracted competitor to appear on a Wrestle Kingdom event. Meanwhile, WWE also made their presence felt on 1/1 as Shinsuke Nakamura appeared for Pro Wrestling NOAH, defeating The Great Muta in the character's last appearance in Keiji Muto's retirement tour.
However, as newsworthy as WWE allowing talent to appear in other companies is, all eyes are sure to be on Sasha Banks, with whatever name she will appear under sure to be all over the headlines. With so many close friends making the long trip to Japan just to witness the event, it is clearly a personal milestone for Banks, with her 2023 set to be a brand-new page to write the next chapter of her career.
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