Mercedes Mone, known as Sasha Banks during her tenure with WWE, officially marked her entrance into AEW during the Big Business edition of AEW Dynamite.
The highly-anticipated debut unfolded in her hometown of Boston, where she was greeted with resounding chants of “CEO” as she made her grand arrival. Expressing gratitude to the fans for their unwavering support, Mercedes Mone emotionally shared her aspirations of becoming a legendary wrestler, emphasising her deep-rooted commitment to the sport.
Addressing the AEW audience, Mone affirmed her strong desire to contribute to the global expansion of the wrestling revolution, stressing her eagerness to engage with the talented roster, particularly highlighting her unresolved business with Willow Nightingale. Concluding her address, she confidently asserted, “Please say hello to your new CEO.”
Mone had been absent from wrestling since sustaining an ankle injury during a match against Willow Nightingale at NJPW STRONG Resurgence 2023. Her departure from WWE in May 2022, alongside Naomi, while holding the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship, had left a void, with Naomi subsequently rejoining the company.
Following her hiatus, Mone entered NJPW at Wrestle Kingdom on January 4, confronting KAIRI (Kairi Sane), the reigning IWGP Women’s Champion. This encounter culminated in Mone claiming the IWGP Women’s Title at NJPW Battle In The Valley 2023, only to lose it to Mayu Iwatani at Stardom All-Star Grand Queendom.
What Did Mercedes Mone Say About Leaving WWE?
Mercedes Mone stated that she believes that leaving WWE while a hard decision ultimately was the right decision at the time. Mone said that she didn’t take the decision to leave lightly as WWE at that point had been her whole life and she is thankful to them for the opportunities they provided.
In recent news, it has been reported that Mercedes Mone is the highest-paid woman wrestler in the world.
In other AEW news, Wendi Richter has responded to Toni Storm.