- Born
- Birth nameJustine Mercedes Kaestner-Varnado
- Nicknames
- Mercedes KV
- The Boss
- Miss Mercedes
- Legit Boss
- The Blueprint
- The Standard
- Mercedes Mone
- The CEO
- Sasha Banks
- Mercedes Monè
- Height5′ 5″ (1.65 m)
- Mercedes Kaestner-Varnado is an American professional wrestler and actress who also known as her ring names Sasha Banks (in WWE) and Mercedes Monè (in other promotions). Varnado made her acting debut in season 2 of the acclaimed show The Mandalorian (2019) in the role of Koska Reeves. As a pioneer of WWE's women's Wrestling, she is regarded as one of the greatest women's wrestler of all time.
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 eight championship reigns-being a former NXT Women's Champion, 5-time Raw Women's Champion and inaugural and 3-time WWE Women's tag team champions and 1 time SmackDown Women's Champion. Varnado made her NJPW debut in 2023 where she is 1 time IWGP Women's Champion. In March 13, 2024 Marcedes made her debut at AEW. She made her in-ring debut on May 26 at Double or Nothing, where she defeated Nightingale to win the AEW TBS Championship.
Her match against Bayley at NXT Takeover: Respect (2015) on October 7, 2015 was the first women's match to ever headline a major WWE event, the first women's Iron Man match. 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 WWE Hell in a Cell (2016) in October 2016), the first women to main event WWE Monday Night RAW in a women's match since 2004. In 2021 at WrestleMania 37 Banks and her opponent Bianca Belair became first African born performers to headlining WrestleMania. Banks is also first 1990s born wrestler to headlining WrestleMania.- IMDb Mini Biography By: AB THE BOSS
- SpouseSarath Ton(August 4, 2016 - 2024)
- ParentsJudith Kaestner
- RelativesJoshua Varnado(Sibling)Snoop Dogg(Cousin)Brandy Norwood(Cousin)Ray J(Cousin)Daz Dillinger(Cousin)Vernell Varnado(Aunt or Uncle)Sy'rai Iman Smith(Cousin)Melody Norwood(Cousin)
- Finishing move: Bankrupt (Straight Jacket Neckbreaker Slam)
- Finishing move: Bank Statement (Bridging Crossface, often transitioned from a Double Knee Backbreaker)
- Trademark move: Diving Double Knee Drop
- Trademark move: High Knee
- "Legit Boss" Pendant
- Favorite wrestler is Eddie Guerrero.
- She is cousin of rapper Snoop Dogg. She is also a first cousin of music producer Daz Dillinger and singers Brandy Norwood and Ray J.
- Is a big fan of anime. Her favorite is Sailor Moon (1995). She also wore a Sailor Moon inspired gear at Royal Rumble 2022.
- Mercedes Varnado was the first entry of the first ever Women's Royal Rumble match. In the match she eliminated Vickie Guerrero, Bayley and Trish Stratus, lasting 54:46 before being eliminated by Nikki Garcia and Brie Garcia.
- Her match against Bayley at NXT Takeover: Respect (2015) on October 7, 2015 was the first women's match to ever headline a major WWE event, also it was the first women's Iron Man match.
- Bank on it!
- People are talking about women's wrestling, and that's all I've ever wanted since I was ten years old. I wanted people to talk about the women and all they could do. We're celebrating women's wrestling. People want to see us, and we're just doing our best.
- For me, I've always told myself, 'I can only do me in the ring.' When I go out there and perform, I can only do what Sasha Banks can do.
- The Boss doesn't need friends, but the ones I do have, I keep very close.
- Patience is key. You can't get selfish, and that's the number one thing I've learned at WWE. The world continues to go round, and I just knew - given the right opportunity and the right moment - that the world would know I was good, but now the world knows that I'm great.
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