While some people are born bosses, others have to work hard to earn the title. Sasha Banks embodies the role in and out of the ring and in a recent interview with BlavityU, the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) superstar shares what it costs to be the boss.
Sasha Banks began her training in 2008 at Chaotic Wrestling, an independent American wrestling program in Woburn, Massachusetts. Banks fought tirelessly through various matches before finally getting promoted onto the WWE’s next-generation “NXT” roster in December 2012.
“When I first got onto NXT, I created ‘The Boss,’ so I had to find it within myself to pull out all these things that I always wanted for myself when I was a kid. That’s what a boss is, and that’s who I wanted to be in the ring,” Banks told BlavityU.
Fans don’t call Banks “The Boss” for sport. Her list of accolades screams bossed up and busy. The pro wrestler quickly achieved success after joining the WWE main stages in 2015. In 2017, she competed in the first-ever women’s match in Abu Dhabi with Alexa Bliss and made history with Bianca Belair at WrestleMania 37. The two shared a powerful moment as the first Black women to ever main the event.
Giving Belair props for being “out of this world,” Banks recalls, “praying and manifesting for amazing talent to be here to share this ring with; I couldn’t have asked for a better breaking partner in the ring,” Banks said.
“The Boss” is also a former SmackDown Women’s Champion, Raw Women’s Champion, ESPY winner, first Women’s Tag Team Champion, and she snagged a role on Disney’s The Mandalorian as Koska Reeves.
The 29-year-old affirms everyone has a boss inside of them and it only takes “standing up for yourself and not taking no for an answer. I call myself the legit boss, the leader of the conversation, the blueprint because I’m really all [of] these things, and you can be it too; you just have to believe it,” Banks said.
She revealed she’s inspired bosses who came before her and named megastar Nicki Minaj and her cousin the legendary Snoop Dogg as some of her heroes. As she continues to grace the main stage events alongside her male wrestling companions, naming Minaj as one of her idols makes sense considering both women are booses in their own right, working in male-dominated industries.
“Nicki Minaj. I love her, especially in the last couple of years. She is like a legit boss to me to be in the industry. To be up there with the men, in the top of the top and her legacy, can’t be outdone,” Banks said, inspired by Minaj’s work ethic and level of greatness amongst her male rap peers.
Being a boss comes second nature to Banks. She expresses looking up to her cousin, the Bossfather himself, Snoop Dog, as she embarked on her wrestling journey.
“Snoop Dogg, my cousin, what an icon. What a guru, a legendary piece. Love maker of the world. To be in this era at this time with someone like that and to have him as my family member to learn so much from, Banks said.
Although Banks has accomplished many things, she says she’s looking forward to making it into “the hall of fame next year.” With her 30th birthday around the corner, the WWE superstar shared that she is happy but still has much more to do.
“It’s hard for me to sit back and realize that sometimes this is my life, it’s still so like, wow, I know I did that, but I have to really believe it. I can’t believe I did that. I know I did. That is so amazing,” Banks shared.
“The Boss” is also among the top 15 most-followed female athletes globally on social media and says she “hopes to be number one” eventually.
Catch “The Boss” Sasha Banks on SmackDown, airing every Friday night at 8 pm ET on FOX.
