WWE have issued a statement after women's tag team champions Sasha Banks and Naomi "walked out" during Raw.
Banks and Naomi were set to compete in the Raw main event, with WWE advertising a Six Pack Challenge which would see the winner of the match earn a shot at Raw women's champion Bianca Belair. The match, which was also set to involve Becky Lynch, Asuka, Doudrop and Nikki A.S.H., would have seen Banks and Naomi compete against each other despite being tag team champions.
In a statement, WWE said the pair "walked out" while the show was being broadcast, forcing them to change the planned main event at the last minute. They also said Banks and Naomi felt they "weren't respected enough as tag team champions" and were "were uncomfortable in the ring with two of their opponents".
The statement read: "When Sasha Banks and Naomi arrived at the arena this afternoon, they were informed of their participation in the main event of tonight's Monday Night Raw. During the broadcast, they walked into WWE Head of Talent Relations John Laurinaitis office with their suitcases in hand, placed their tag team championship belts on his desk and walked out.
"They claimed they weren't respected enough as tag team champions. And even though they had eight hours to rehearse and construct their match, they claimed they were uncomfortable in the ring with two of their opponents even though they'd had matches with those individuals in the past with no consequence.
"Monday Night Raw is a scripted live TV show, whose characters are expected to perform the requirements of their contract. We regret we were unable to deliver, as advertised, tonight's main event."
The incident was mentioned on the show by commentator Corey Graves, who said: "Sasha Banks and Naomi summarily and unprofessionally walked out." PWInsider state that Banks 'took issue with some of the planned creative', while Fightful report that Naomi was originally set to win the match.
The main event was ultimately changed to a singles match between Lynch and Asuka which Asuka won. During 2019, Banks took a five-month hiatus from WWE and told Stone Cold Steve Austin on his 'Broken Skull Sessions' show that she had actually requested her release but WWE chief Vince McMahon refused to grant it.
"It broke my spirit and made me question my mind," Banks said. "It made me question who I was as a person, and the path that I was going scared me so I'm very proud in myself that I took that step to walk away from something that I love very much."
