In her first match for NJPW Mercedes Mone won the IWGP Women’s Championship. At Battle In The Valley on February 18th in San Jose Centre in Los Angles, California, Mone defeated the inaugural champion and former WWE rival KIARI to lift the title.
Since arriving in NJPW at Wrestle Kingdom 17 Mone has stated the move was an easy choice to make and gives her the opportunity to elevate the newly-formed women’s division.
This is such a huge honor for me. It made it a really easy decision to go to New Japan to help kickstart this women’s division for this company. With New Japan being the biggest pro wrestling company in Japan, it was just an easy, easy decision to be like, ‘This is the place that I want to be.’ I grew up watching New Japan, I grew up watching Pro-Wrestling NOAH and all these Japanese women’s wrestling [companies] growing up. So this was such an easy decision. It’s a dream come true for me.
STARDOM Champion AZM Challenged Mercedes Mone For The Title
AZM has challenged the new champion for the IWGP Women’s Championship. During a recent press conference, the High-Speed Champion called out the former Sasha Banks.
“I am well aware that Mercedes Monè mentioned my name. The next challenger is me! Monè, I’m waiting for your reply!”
Mone responded to AZM’s challenge on social media seemingly accepting her as her first opponent for the newly-formed title.
At just 20 years of age, AZM has already established herself as one of the top female talents and of course, has a very bright future ahead of her. She is a former High Speed and Artist of STARDOM Champion.
Before making her journey to Japan Mone handpicked AZM as one of the many competitors she wants to face in the Joshi promotion.
“Giulia is incredible… AZM, I think she is so awesome, Starlight Kid is, oh my gosh, she’s so crazy, Tam [Nakano] is amazing, there’s just so many!”
There is no word as to when the match between the two will happen but after making her debut Moné is scheduled to appear in two more shows. The first is at NJPW Sakura Genesis on April 8th from the Ryogoku Sumo Hall and the second is at Yokohama Arena on April 23rd for STARDOM.
H/T Fightful