Since walking out of WWE in March 2022, Mercedes Mone has been carving a new path for herself around the world.
The former Sasha Banks made her return to wrestling at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17 in the Tokyo Dome back in January. There she made her mark by laying out the inaugural IWGP Women’s Champion, another WWE alumni in KAIRI.
Mone went on to defeat KAIRI for the title in an acclaimed match at Battle In The Valley in San Jose, California in February. She will soon head back to Japan to defend the gold in a Triple Threat match against STARDOM’s AZM and Hazuki at Sakura Genesis in April.
While The CEO is living her dreams, her friend and former tag team partner Bayley is missing her in WWE as WrestleMania 39 approaches.
Bayley is inspired by Mercedes Mone’s journey
During an appearance on the Ringer Wrestling Show, The Role Model revealed she told Mone how much she missed her for the biggest show of the wrestling calendar. However, she is also inspired by the path her friend has taken.
“I was just texting her today or yesterday and was like, ‘Man, I miss having you here.’ I miss her in this environment. I miss her for the biggest show of the year. She’s who I feed off of for inspiration or ideas or (someone) to vent to. I know I can trust her the most.
“At the same time, what she’s doing, she’s carving a new path, she’s following her craziest dreams, she’s doing it literally on her own. You don’t have the WWE banner behind you. She’s doing everything she ever wanted, so successfully. To me, that’s inspiring.
“If she can do that on her own, I can be here without her and I’ll be okay. You start to feel sorry for yourself. ‘I need her, I have ideas and I don’t know who to talk to.’ I wouldn’t be in this position if it wasn’t for her.
At WrestleMania, Bayley will team up with her Damage CTRL allies IYO SKY and Dakota Kai to take on Trish Stratus and the Women’s Tag Team Champions Lita and Becky Lynch.
The star is well aware that Stratus is a dream match for the IWGP Women’s Champion, but Mone is happy for her to get the bout.
“Seeing her do all that and seeing her so happy, and she’s so happy for me. In a weird way, I wish she was in this match because her dream match has been Trish Stratus, and she may get it someday. I’m like, ‘Man, I want you here.’ She’s like, ‘This is the coolest thing ever. It’s one of the biggest matches in your career, if not the biggest.’ She is there for me and I’m there for her and it’s the best.”
While Bayley is hopeful Mone will make a comeback to WWE, she is also pleased that she has shown there is another way if that company doesn’t work out for others.
“I always hope she’ll come back. If she does or doesn’t, that’s fine. Whatever makes her happy. I think she’s definitely showing people there is more and there are other ways. If you get released, there is so much more you can do.
“You can go other avenues and be successful and be all over wrestling, globally, and show people that don’t get hired off their tryouts, ‘you can go over there and still be successful and have amazing matches.’
“If WWE isn’t your thing, you can go over there and do that. She’s showing them that it’s okay and you don’t have to be in one place to feel like you succeeded. She’s doing so much.”
H/T to Fightful for the above transcription.