Sasha Banks has explained why she asked to be released by WWE in April 2019, after WrestleMania 35.

Sasha Banks has been one of WWE's top female stars for the last seven years, pretty much since her main roster call-up during the summer of 2015.

However, just under four years after arriving on WWE's main roster, Sasha Banks actually tried to leave the company.

Banks was not seen on WWE TV after WrestleMania 35 for several months, missing April-August, and even asked WWE if she could be granted her release.

WWE didn't let Banks leave, and 'The Boss' has now explained in an interview with The Athletic why she wanted to get out of her contract.

Banks said that she felt "so sad" at the time, and wanted to take herself out of WWE to figure out who she was as a person, and a performer.

“I felt so sad every day and I didn’t know why. I had to take myself away from a situation and such a fast world where I had to stop and realize who Mercedes was and who Sasha Banks was.

"I had no time off. I never got to see myself, my family. I took that time to figure out what I loved besides wrestling.”

It's great to see Sasha Banks, given that she's a clear fan favourite, still with WWE and doing well within herself.

Banks is slated to team with Naomi in a WWE Women's Tag Team Championship match at WrestleMania 38 this weekend, where Sasha will aim to become a two-time women's tag champion.

The match will also feature the teams of Queen Zelina & Carmella, Liv Morgan & Rhea Ripley, and Natalya & Shayna Baszler.

You can watch WrestleMania 38 this weekend live in the US on Peacock and in all other international markets on the WWE Network.