10 Things We Learned From Sasha Banks On Steve Austin’s Broken Skull Sessions
1. The Real Story Behind Her 2019 Depression
A lot was said and written about Banks' four-five month sabbatical from WWE in 2019, but she wanted to set the record straight once and for all on 'Broken Skull Sessions'. Admirably, Sasha didn't shy away from the fragility of her mindset at the time. She suffered through a deep depression, and needed time away to find herself.
Initially, when she approached Vince McMahon, Sasha wanted to leave WWE completely. He said no, so that softened to time on the shelf to reconsider. After some time in Japan, Banks was finally ready to return. That makes it sound so simple, but it was anything but. Hearing her talk about never hearing her real name ("for seven years") or stammering through lines like, "I barely even saw my real hair” is borderline grim.
One of WWE's top female stars looked at herself in the mirror and knew the light had gone out. She attended therapy sessions to manage her distress, and reconnected with the real person behind the Sasha Banks character.
Austin could relate to that after his own struggles with pressure in the past. This was, by far, the most personal point of the interview.
What else did you learn from Sasha Banks on 'Broken Skull Sessions'? For more WWE, check out 10 Things We Learned From Bayley On Steve Austin’s Broken Skull Sessions and WWE Elimination Chamber 2021: 10 Nightmares That Could Happen!