10 Things You Didn’t Know About Sasha Banks

10. Working For Pizza On The Independents

Like many of today’s wrestling superstars, Sasha Banks knew exactly what she wanted to do from an early age. She wanted to follow in the footsteps of Eddie Guerrero, Chris Jericho and all the rest. Pro wrestling wasn’t just the dream, it was the only dream. She finally got a break when she turned 17, receiving and invite to a wrestling school in Boston, just as her mum was about to start a new job in the city. Sasha turned 18, and the rest is history.

Except it wasn’t. Dreams don’t come true overnight, and Banks worked tirelessly on the independent scene before WWE came knocking. She wrestled under the name Mercedes KV, largely for Chaotic Wrestling but also for a number of other promotions in the New England area. The experience was invaluable, but it didn’t come without its frustrations and hardships.

When she appeared on First We Feast’s Hot Ones, Sasha was asked what she didn’t miss about working on the independent circuit. Her answer was depressingly predictable for anyone who has ever worked in the seedy underbelly of pro wrestling, where promoters are more than happy to use the devotion and the commitment of those trying to make their way in the industry. Banks spoke of being paid in pizza slices, in hot dogs, getting measly recompense for putting her body on the line in front of disinterested crowds of lecherous hogs. No pizza is that good.