Sasha Banks calls for the top WWE stars to mix it up with NXT’s emerging talent
Top WWE star Sasha Banks has urged the company to allow their top stars to mix more with those making their way in the business.
WWE is awash with new talent across its many divisions - most notably the likes of NXT and its British arm, NXT:UK.
Stars from the latter shone spectacularly this past weekend as part of a two-night event, Takeover: Blackpool at the Empress Ballroom.
The likes of men's champion Pete Dunne and fellow Brits Tyler Bate and Zack Gibson delighted the sold-out crowd at the show, which was streamed around the world.
One of the highlights was the surprise appearance of Finn Balor, a graduate of NXT who now wrestles on WWE's main roster as part of its weekly Monday Night Raw programme.
Balor, a former Universal Champion, by no means stole the limelight from the stars of the company's developmental division, but did impress in a brief match against fellow Irishman, Jordan Devlin.
In an exclusive interview with The Independent, Banks, who is one of the company's top female stars, admitted it's something she wants to see more of.
She, too, spent her formative years with NXT and insists that established stars would benefit from mixing it up with those learning their trade.
"Overall as a company and a product, we want to put on the best show possible," said the 26-year-old, who faces Ronda Rousey for the Raw Women's Championship at the Royal Rumble later this month.
"I was jealous of Finn Balor that he got to wrestle in front of such an amazing crowd... I heard many great things about it.
"For Raw and Smackdown talent, it would be cool if we got to be involved with NXT:UK more, or involved with NXT so we actually got to go over there.
"I know for a fact [Raw star] Bayley and I would love to go to NXT:UK and scout the talent over there, and get ready for the women's tag team titles coming up.
"It would be good to see different opponents, what these athletes can do and what they bring to the table.
"So it would be cool to intersperse more with NXT, NXT:UK and whatever else they want to bring. Maybe NXT:China - who knows what else they're going to do."
Wrestling fans are currently enjoying a hugely-fruitful period when it comes to talent to watch.
WWE, as it has done for decades, continues to stand undisputed as the genre's biggest company in terms of reach and clout.
But, more than ever before, there are alternatives. From New Japan Pro Wrestling to UK promotions like Progress, and Shahid and Tony Khan’s new All Elite Wrestling.
Despite it all, though, Banks insists that WWE is still the place to be.
A former four-time Raw women's champion, she was defiant in her belief that the best in-ring talent will always levitate to the company sooner rather than later.
She added: "It feels like they're taking over the world of wrestling and it's a crazy world right now.
"I feel like we have everybody, we have all the best people.
"So it is kind of hard to have competition outside of WWE when we find every top star in the independent [wrestling scene] that you could possibly sign."
Sasha Banks meets Ronda Rousey for the Raw Women's Championship at Royal Rumble on 27th January. For full details visit wwe.com
