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WWE 2K20 (2019)

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Mercedes Justine Kaestner-Varnado (born January 26, 1992) is an American professional wrestler currently signed to WWE on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Sasha Banks.
She previously wrestled on the independent circuit, most notably for Chaotic Wrestling, where she once held the Chaotic Wrestling Women's Championship. Between WWE and their developmental brand NXT, Banks has had six championship reigns—being a former NXT Women's Champion, a record-tying four-time Raw Women's Champion and the inaugural WWE Women's Tag Team Champion alongside Bayley. Her match against Bayley at NXT TakeOver: Respect on October 7, 2015, was the first women's match to ever headline a NXT TakeOver, the first Iron Woman match in WWE history, and the longest women's match in WWE history at the time with a length of 30 minutes.[5] Their match was voted by Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) as the Match of the Year, with Banks also being voted as the Woman of the Year, while their match at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn in August 2015 won the NXT Year-End Award for Match of the Year.
In 2016, she and Charlotte Flair became the first women to headline a WWE pay-per-view event and the first to compete in a Hell in a Cell match (both at Hell in a Cell in October 2016), the first women to main event Raw in a women's match since 2004[ and the first women to win the Pro Wrestling Illustrated award for Feud of the Year. In February 2019, she won the inaugural WWE Women's Tag Team Championship with her tag team partner, Bayley (together known as The Boss 'n' Hug Connection), at the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view.

Mercedes Justine Kaestner-Varnado was born in Fairfield, California, and later moved to various places, including Minnesota, to find schools and hospitals for her disabled brother. Her family settled in Boston, Massachusetts, where she began her professional wrestling career. She went to school online and grew up watching All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling (AJW). She is of African American and European descent.

On the August 14 episode of NXT, Banks lost to Bayley in a match to determine the number one contender to the NXT Women's Championship. At NXT TakeOver: Fatal 4-Way on September 11, Banks attacked Bayley after her title match with Charlotte, before Charlotte stopped her. Becky Lynch turned on Bayley and aligned herself with Banks on the October 23 episode of NXT after Banks defeated Bayley in a singles match.Banks promptly began feuding with NXT Women's Champion Charlotte, leading to a match between the two at NXT TakeOver: R Evolution on December 11 with Charlotte's championship on the line, which Banks lost. Banks received a rematch on the December 25 episode of NXT, where she was once again unsuccessful.[49] Banks first appeared on WWE's main roster on the December 30, 2014 episode of Main Event, where she lost to Charlotte in a non-title match. On January 21, 2015, Banks received another title match against Charlotte, which she lost after Becky Lynch attacked Charlotte, causing a disqualification, which led to dissension between Banks and Lynch.


Banks wrestling Charlotte during a house show in March 2015
On February 11 at NXT TakeOver: Rival, Banks won the NXT Women's Championship by pinning Charlotte in a fatal four-way match that also involved Lynch and Bayley. Banks successfully retained the championship against Charlotte in a rematch on the March 4 episode of NXT, and against Alexa Bliss on March 25. At NXT TakeOver: Unstoppable on May 20, Banks defended and retained the title against Becky Lynch. On the July 8 episode of NXT, Banks teamed with Charlotte to defeat Emma and Dana Brooke, after which Charlotte challenged Banks to an NXT Women's Championship match, which Banks accepted. They had their championship match the following week on the July 15 episode of NXT, in which Banks retained the championship and the two shared a hug, with Charlotte raising Banks's hand as a sign of respect.
At NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn on August 22, Banks dropped the NXT Women's Championship to Bayley, thus ending her reign at 192 days. After the match, Banks celebrated with Bayley and former rivals Becky Lynch and Charlotte.[59] The match was highly praised by critics and won Match of the Year at the NXT Year-End Awards. At NXT TakeOver: Respect on October 7, Banks was defeated by Bayley in the main event in the first women's 30-minute Iron man match in WWE history, losing two falls to three in what would be her last match in NXT.

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