She's The Boss

Rising WWE star Sasha Banks is out to prove that strong, fit women can dominate sports entertainment as well as the guys

- Alyssa Shaffer

Don’t call Sasha Banks a diva. While the up-and-coming WWE star—better known by her moniker, “Legit Boss”—has plenty of style and swagger, she considers herself an athlete rather than eye candy. Fans have responded not only to her bluster but also to her athleticism, with thousands chanting, “We want Sasha!” before each match. WWE enthusiasts label her “the best female performer on the roster” and a “once-in-a-generation talent,” a title Banks is only too happy to take on.

“WWE is legit everything—it’s physical, it’s drama, it’s larger than life!” says Banks. “You get to be an athlete and a superstar. What’s better than that?”

Banks (real name: Mercedes KaestnerVarnado) has dreamed of competing in WWE from the age of 10 when she first saw a WWE match on TV. “My mother made me turn it off, so I snuck into my brother’s room to watch the rest. Ever since that moment, I became obsessed!” A track-and-field star growing up (she was termed “the Fastest Girl in the State of Iowa” at age 11), Banks was always active. But her plans for an athletic career were sidetracked in seventh grade when she started helping to look after her younger brother, who is autistic. “My brother actually helped turn me into the person I am today—I had to learn patience, and when I stayed home to help him, I discovered a lot about myself.”