Has The Excitement for Sasha Banks and Naomi's WWE Return Worn Off?

From the moment then-WWE women's tag team champions Sasha Banks and Naomi walked out of the company prior to the May 16 episode of Raw, fans have eagerly waited their return.

The assumption of creative power by Triple H behind the scenes in July intensified that excitement and inspired reports of an impending comeback.

Instead of the squared circle, though, Banks and Naomi made their debut on the runway during New York Fashion Week.

Social media erupted in excitement for their success away from professional wrestling and the opportunity for stardom beyond the WWE umbrella.

It begs the question, though: Has the anticipation for their return to the squared circle worn off?

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In Short, Absolutely Not

The world of WWE is one that moves incredibly fast. Since Triple H has taken charge of the company's creative efforts, fans have been treated to the returns of Bayley, Dakota Kai, Johnny Gargano, Braun Strowman and Dexter Lumis.

The WWE Universe has seen new faces put in a position to succeed and those who already had further enhanced by better booking.

It would be easy to forget about Banks and Naomi, to move on and accept they may not return to the company that helped make them stars in the first place.

But that is not the case.

Every time it feels like the excitement for their comeback has waned, the former champions pop back up in a mainstream setting. We saw it when they walked the runway at New York Fashion Week and at last month's premiere of Marvel's She-Hulk: Attorney at Law.

If there is any reason not to be animated about their future in professional wrestling, it is their non-commitment to returning to an industry that burned them out enough emotionally to walk away in the first place.

With that said, in an industry that thrives on the element of surprise, it would behoove both them and WWE to remain quiet. The impact of this monumental return would be lost if Banks and Naomi told a random reporter, "Of course, we're coming back"

It would ruin something so many have waited over four months for and eliminate a key element of Triple H's creative efforts, even if the knowledge of a sure-fire return may draw in more viewers.

Those returns create guttural reactions and moments that can be celebrated forever. The Game himself was the central figure in one 20 years ago in Madison Square Garden.

However, the longer things go without even the slightest hint of Banks and Naomi reentering the world of sports entertainment, the more likely the casual fan forgets. Today's society is very much an out-of-sight, out-of-mind one that routinely asks, "What have you done for me lately?"

Without them appearing on screen or even being discussed in some form by the company putting on the show they are watching, the easier it becomes to shift attention to something else...anything else.

One thing preventing that from happening is the transcendent star power of Banks, who has a Star Wars acting credit to her name and has popped up on several other mainstream programs. She even played a major role in the 2022 NCAA National Championship Game.

The Boss' star burns bright enough that the moment Snoop Dogg's voice booms over the WWE sound system and she walks through the curtain alongside Naomi, the crowd will erupt.

Her star power in and beyond WWE, as well as the love the audience has for Naomi that was on full display during her feud with Sonya Deville a year ago, makes the likelihood of the team returning to anything less than a raucous ovation nonexistent.

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Looking Ahead

With all of that said, there should still be some urgency on the WWE side of things to get a deal done (if it is not already) and bring Banks and Naomi back to the show sooner rather than later.

There is genuine excitement surrounding the WWE product for the first time in years. Triple H has created a program that fans feel comfortable coming back to and intrigued by enough to keep tuning in to see what's next.

Raw ratings were up for the first time in a while and that show feels more like the flagship it had been previously. SmackDown has been more consistently good than it has in a long time, too.

Capitalizing on the buzz surrounding the new WWE regime and creative efforts by bringing back two women believed to have been universally wronged by the last guy's booking is not only the right call but one that also benefits all involved.

Banks and Naomi get the star treatment they had been sorely lacking, the company benefits from the bump in interest, and the women's division—a clear focal point for what Triple H is doing creatively—becomes even more stacked with talent.

Their return is going to be a big day but taking advantage of the environment while you have it, before the NFL season wreaks even more havoc on TV ratings than it did Monday night, should be a priority.

This should all happen, even if it means allowing them the freedom to continue taking outside projects and building their stars. After all, mainstream media attention is what WWE has always thrived on and what better way to benefit from it than by having stars other than The Rock and John Cena participating in different ventures?

From an in-ring perspective, the matches with Damage CTRL would be outstanding. Banks and Naomi battling Dakota Kai and Iyo Sky for the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship they never lost is a story that writes itself.

And the long-established friendship between Banks and Bayley and their eventual feud would make for great television. We know this because we have seen it before.

Bring them back into the fold, give them whatever they want to make it happen, and reap the rewards.

It's a relationship that is mutually beneficial and one that can be better maintained by Triple H, who has proved before that his commitment to women's wrestling is greater than that of his predecessor.

As a result, it's more likely to net Banks and Naomi the attention and respect they are long overdue.