Back in September, Saraya was the hottest name in female professional wrestling, maybe professional wrestling, period. After suffering a broken neck that was initially classified as career-ending and then spending the next half-decade on the shelf as a result, the performer formerly known as Paige was back, in an AEW ring no less, and was maybe going to even work a match or more should she receive a clean bill of health.

Ultimately, that actually did happen, and after 1,788 days away, Saraya got back in the ring against the “face of the women's division,” Britt Baker, for a match that, though far from a seven-star instant classic, proved that after all of these years, the somehow only 30-year-old performer was a wrestler once more.

While the post-Full Gear hype surrounding Saraya has dipped ever so slightly since her triumphant return, as she hasn't been in the ring since, she brought some intrigue back in a major way when, on December 7th, Baker and her partner in crime, Jamie Hayter, challenged the former two-times Divas Champion to a tag match at the January 11th running if Dynamite, live from the “Fabulous” KIA Forum in sunny Inglewood, California.

But who would it be? Is there another ultra-hyped performer who is potentially available to sign that could provide the company with a similar pop moving forward?

… yeah, it's probably Sasha Banks (aka Mercedes Mone'), isn't it?

Now granted, to this point, AEW hasn't technically commented on her partner one way or another – you know, what with it being a mystery and all – but the fan hype has become so massive that anything but Banks making her debut/return/arrival at that particular Dynamite, would draw incredibly negative reactions from fans across the professional wrestling world – think anyone but Bray Wyatt appearing at the end of WWE Extreme Rules after months of the “White Rabbit Project.”

But would Saraya actually want to work with Banks again, what with her injury all those years ago? Fortunately, she sat down with Forbes to discuss just that.

AEW's Saraya has nothing but love for Sasha Banks.

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Asked about her mystery partner at next month's Dynamite and whether or not it's a certain money-loving soon-to-be-former-WWE-Superstar.

“I feel like anytime there’s a mystery, everyone always goes straight for Mercedes (laughs). They’re like—straight away—it’s her!” said Saraya. “There’s plenty of women out there, I’m not going to say yes or no to anybody, but there’s a lot of exciting prospects for a potential tag partner. I’ve always said that I would want to work with Sasha again in any capacity, because she’s a pro. In the wrestling side of things, she’s such a fantastic athlete, you can’t deny her talent. She’s fantastic.”

While WWE may not agree with that statement, as the company reportedly didn't think she'd a top star over the next five years, that really does seem to be the consensus among fans of professional wrestling, even if there is a small but vocal segment who aren't the biggest fans, which Saraya doesn't believe is fair.

“People can be really tough on people,” said Saraya. “Especially female athletes, which can be super frustrating. Especially female athletes who carry their weight. They can go toe-to-toe with most of the guys. So if someone gets a little bit hurt, especially in the women’s division, the whole internet blows up and they’re just like ‘this person’s unsafe, and this person’s unsafe. I remember this one time, I think Brie [Bella] hurt somebody, and it really annoyed me because she never hurts anybody. But the fact that people blew up on her like ‘you hurt her, you’re unsafe,’ it’s like it was just one person. In a 15-year career, that’s actually really good. You can’t go into a business without accidentally hurting someone at some point.”

“The people who take it personally, are the people on the internet. People on the internet take it personally for you, but me and Sasha have always been on good terms. It is what it is, but Sasha—mentally—it f—ked with her, and that’s not fair.”

Would Banks be a big get for AEW? Heck yes; while New Japan Pro Wrestling got the massive initial rub for hiring the soon-to-be former WWE performer right out of her deal, it's hard to imagine she'll move to Japan full-time and pursue a full-time role in a company that doesn't technically have a women's division. Considering Tony Khan is flush with cash and Banks would likely appreciate regular television time in an American promotion as well, signing the free agent on the dotted line is a pretty easy way to close out 2022 on a major high not, right up there with booking John Cena for a tag match on SmackDown.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhYUTUNmOh8