|
At the [[Royal Rumble (2021)|Royal Rumble]] pay-per-view on January 31, Banks defeated Carmella in a rematch from [[TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs (2020)|TLC]] to retain the SmackDown Women's Championship.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Sasha Banks tastes victory against Carmella|url=https://www.wwe.com/shows/royalrumble/01-31-2021/sasha-banks-vs-carmella-results|access-date=2021-02-22|website=WWE|language=en}}</ref> Later on in the night, [[Bianca Belair]] would go on to win the [[Royal Rumble (2021)#Women's Royal Rumble match entrances and eliminations|Women's Royal Rumble match]], thereby granting her an opportunity to challenge for a [[Professional wrestling championship#Gender championships|women's championship]] of her choice at [[WrestleMania 37]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-01-31|title=WWE Royal Rumble: Women's entrant order and eliminations|url=https://www.f4wonline.com/wwe-results/wwe-royal-rumble-womens-entrant-order-and-eliminations-331806|access-date=2021-02-22|website=WON/F4W - WWE news, Pro Wrestling News, WWE Results, UFC News, UFC results|language=en}}</ref> In the weeks to follow, Banks and Belair would proceed to build up to the reveal of Belair's opponent of choice on ''SmackDown'', up until the February 26 episode of the aforementioned show, when Belair officially chose to face Banks for the SmackDown Women's Championship at the event.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-02-05|title=WWE SmackDown live results: Royal Rumble fallout|url=https://www.f4wonline.com/wwe-results/wwe-smackdown-live-results-royal-rumble-fallout-332331|access-date=2021-02-22|website=WON/F4W - WWE news, Pro Wrestling News, WWE Results, UFC News, UFC results|language=en}}</ref><ref name="SmackDown02122021">{{cite web|date=2021-02-12|title=WWE SmackDown live results: Seth Rollins returns|url=https://www.f4wonline.com/wwe-results/wwe-smackdown-live-results-seth-rollins-returns-332926|access-date=2021-02-22|website=WON/F4W - WWE news, Pro Wrestling News, WWE Results, UFC News, UFC results}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-02-19|title=WWE SmackDown live results: Final build to Elimination Chamber|url=https://www.f4wonline.com/wwe-results/wwe-smackdown-live-results-final-build-elimination-chamber-333621|access-date=2021-02-22|website=WON/F4W - WWE news, Pro Wrestling News, WWE Results, UFC News, UFC results}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-02-26|title=WWE SmackDown live results: Belair's WrestleMania decision|url=https://www.f4wonline.com/wwe-results/wwe-smackdown-live-results-belairs-wrestlemania-decision-334311|access-date=2021-03-23|website=WON/F4W - WWE news, Pro Wrestling News, WWE Results, UFC News, UFC results}}</ref> Over the following month, the two would team up to challenge [[Nia Jax]] and [[Shayna Baszler]] for the [[WWE Women's Tag Team Championship]] at the [[Elimination Chamber (2021)|Elimination Chamber]] and [[Fastlane (2021)|Fastlane]] pay-per-view events, but were unsuccessful.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Boss and The EST of WWE join forces to attempt to become Women’s Tag Team Champions|url=https://www.wwe.com/shows/eliminationchamber/2021/nia-jax-shayna-baszler-vs-sasha-banks-bianca-belair|access-date=2021-02-22|work=WWE}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-02-21|title=WWE Elimination Chamber live results: Two Chamber matches|url=https://www.f4wonline.com/wwe-results/wwe-elimination-chamber-live-results-two-chamber-matches-333656|access-date=2021-02-22|website=WON/F4W - WWE news, Pro Wrestling News, WWE Results, UFC News, UFC results}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-03-21|title=WWE Fastlane live results: Roman Reigns vs. Daniel Bryan|url=https://www.f4wonline.com/wwe-results/wwe-fastlane-live-results-roman-reigns-vs-daniel-bryan-336466|access-date=2021-03-22|work=WON/F4W - WWE news, Pro Wrestling News, WWE Results, UFC News, UFC results|language=en}}</ref> On April 9, WWE announced that the bout between Banks and Belair would main-event Night 1 of WrestleMania 37, thus marking the first time in the company's history that two [[African Americans|African-American]] women will have faced each other in a marquee match.<ref>{{Cite web|title=SmackDown Women's Champion Sasha Banks vs. Bianca Belair to be the main event of WrestleMania Night 1|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/wrestlemania/wrestlemania-37/sasha-banks-vs-bianca-belair|access-date=2021-04-09|work=WWE}}</ref> Furthermore, the two were the first African-American wrestlers in [[WrestleMania]] history to have faced each other in the main event of the show.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Sam|first=Doric|date=2021-04-09|title=At ‘WrestleMania 37,’ Sasha Banks and Bianca Belair are embracing history|url=https://theundefeated.com/features/wrestlemania-37-sasha-banks-bianca-belair-are-embracing-history/|access-date=2021-04-10|website=The Undefeated}}</ref> At the event, Banks [[Glossary of professional wrestling terms#drop|dropped]] the SmackDown Women's Championship to Belair after getting hit with the KOD, the latter's finisher, to conclude the match.<ref name="WM37N1">{{cite web|last1=Powell|first1=Jason|title=WrestleMania 37 results: Powell’s live review of night one featuring Sasha Banks vs. Bianca Belair for the Smackdown Women’s Championship, Bobby Lashley vs. Drew McIntyre for the WWE Championship, Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods vs. AJ Styles and Omos for the Raw Tag Titles, Bad Bunny and Damian Priest vs The Miz and John Morrison|url=https://prowrestling.net/site/2021/04/10/wrestlemania-37-results-powells-live-review-of-night-one-featuring-sasha-banks-vs-bianca-belair-for-the-smackdown-womens-championship-bobby-lashley-vs-drew-mcintyre-for-the-wwe-championship-k/|work=Pro Wrestling Dot Net|date=April 10, 2021|access-date=April 10, 2021}}</ref>
== Impact and legacy ==
{{Quote box
| quote = Sasha is one of our biggest stars with some of the best charisma and potential. And on top of her athleticism and her storytelling abilities, she just shines. When she walks out, you pay attention. I love her attitude and just everything about her.
| source = —[[Stephanie McMahon]], WWE's Chief Brand Officer, on Banks, in an interview with ''[[TheWrap]]''<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-01-25|title=How Sasha Banks' 'The Mandalorian' Role Made Her a Better Wrestler|url=https://www.thewrap.com/the-mandalorian-sasha-banks-koska-reeves-season-2-wwe-wrestler/|access-date=2021-04-19|website=TheWrap|language=en-US}}</ref>
| align = left
| width = 28%
| salign =
}}Banks achieve success at very young age. She won the NXT Women's Championship at the age of 23. She is one half of WWE's Four Horsewomen along with Charlotte, Bayley and Becky Lynch who were partly responsible for revolutionize women's wrestling in WWE.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2019-09-09|title=WWE's 'Four Horsewomen' reflect on past, present and future|url=https://www.espn.com/wwe/story/_/id/27573590/wwe-four-horsewomen-reflect-present-future|access-date=2021-04-19|website=ESPN.com|language=en}}</ref>
Banks' match against Bayley at [[NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn]] was critically acclaimed and it is considered as one of the most significant matches in WWE history.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Edwards|first=Scott|date=2020-08-22|title=Sasha Banks vs. Bayley At NXT TakeOver Brooklyn 5 Years Later|url=https://lastwordonsports.com/prowrestling/2020/08/22/sasha-banks-vs-bayley-at-nxt-takeover-brooklyn-5-years-later/|access-date=2021-04-19|website=Last Word on Pro Wrestling}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=WWE Untold: Bayley and Sasha Take Over Brooklyn|url=https://watch.wwe.com/episode/Bayley-and-Sasha-Take-Over-Brooklyn-147659|url-status=live|access-date=2021-04-20|website=watch.wwe.com}}</ref> According to wrestler [[Indi Hartwell]] she started training to be a wrestler after watching this match.<ref>{{Cite news|title=WWE: Indi Hartwell latest invader in a growing group of Australasia's pro wrestling mafia|language=en|work=Newshub|url=https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/sport/2021/02/wwe-indie-hartwell-the-latest-invader-in-a-growing-group-of-australasia-s-pro-wrestling-mafia.html|access-date=2021-04-19}}</ref> The match won Match of the Year at first ever [[NXT Year-End Award|NXT Year-End Awards]]. Banks had 6 match of the year contender in the award.<ref>{{Cite web|title=411MANIA|url=http://411mania.com/wrestling/nominees-announced-for-wwe-nxt-awards/|access-date=2021-04-19|website=Nominees Announced For WWE NXT Awards|language=en-US}}</ref>
She was one of first women to headline NXT and WWE's main roster PPVs (alongside [[Bayley (wrestler)|Bayley]] and [[Charlotte Flair]] respectively). Banks vs Bayley's TakeOver: Respect's match became first women's match to win PWI Match of the year. Banks won the [[Raw Women's Champion|Raw Women's title]] at the age of 24 years and 181 days, which makes her youngest Raw women's champion in history. Banks is inaugural [[WWE Women's Tag Team Championship|WWE Women's tag team champions]] along with Bayley. In 2020, Banks was ranked no. 1 in a list top 10 best Wrestlers of the year recognise by one of world's leading sports magazine [[Sports Illustrated]].<ref name="SI2020" />
At [[WrestleMania 37]], Banks and her opponent Bianca Belair became first African American performers to headlining WWE's flagship event. Banks also became first 1990s born wrestler who main evented WrestleMania.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Nikki Bella: Sasha Banks Is The GOAT Of This Era {{!}} Fightful News|url=https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/nikki-bella-sasha-banks-goat-era|access-date=2021-04-19|website=www.fightful.com|language=en}}</ref> Banks is also one of first woman to be compete first ever [[Iron man match|Ironwoman match]], [[Hell in a Cell|Hell in a cell match]], [[Royal Rumble match]], [[Elimination Chamber|Elimination Chamber match]]. Banks is the first woman to compete in 3 Hell in a cell matches.<ref>{{Citation|title=Sasha Banks looking to become The Boss of the Cell: WWE Now|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wS3PM_gshz0|language=en|access-date=2021-04-19}}</ref>
Since 2015, total 11 Sasha Banks' matches have been ranked among WWE's top 25 matches of the year.<ref>{{Cite web|title=WWE.com's Top 25 Matches of 2015|url=https://www.wwe.com/inside/top-25-matches-of-2015|access-date=2021-04-19|website=WWE|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=The 25 best matches of 2016|url=https://www.wwe.com/article/top-25-matches-of-2016|access-date=2021-04-19|website=WWE|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=The Top 25 Matches of 2019|url=https://www.wwe.com/article/top-25-matches-of-2019|access-date=2021-04-19|website=WWE|language=en}}</ref>{{quote box
| quote = The amazing thing about Sasha is that she elevates anybody that she comes in contact with. So she definitely elevated me last night and I am forever grateful to her for that.
| source = —[[Bianca Belair]] on Sasha Banks in an interview after their [[WrestleMania 37]] main event.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Bianca Belair: Sasha Banks Elevates Everybody, She Definitely Elevated Me {{!}} Fightful News|url=https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/bianca-belair-sasha-banks-elevates-everybody-she-definitely-elevated-me|access-date=2021-04-19|website=www.fightful.com|language=en}}</ref>
| align = right
| width = 30em
}}[[WWE Hall of Fame|WWE Hall of Famer]] [[Nikki Bella]] called Banks the greatest performer of her era.<ref name=":0" />
According to WWE Hall of Famer [[Kevin Nash]], Banks is total package and he would want her in his legendary faction [[New World Order (professional wrestling)|NWO]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Kevin Nash Would Pick Sasha Banks To Be In The NWO, Calls Her The Total Package {{!}} Fightful News|url=https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/kevin-nash-would-pick-sasha-banks-be-nwo-calls-her-total-package|access-date=2021-04-19|website=www.fightful.com|language=en}}</ref>
== Other media ==
|
