Mercedes Mone has set the wrestling world ablaze in 2023 and she is yet to wrestle a match.
The star made her eagerly-awaited New Japan Pro Wrestling debut at Wrestle Kingdom 17 on January 4th confronting KAIRI. This led to an announcement that the pair will meet at Battle In The Valley on February 18th in San Jose. There has also been speculation that the star will sign with AEW and partner Saraya as she takes on Britt Baker and Jamie Hayter on the January 11th episode of Dynamite. This is despite Saraya announcing Toni Storm as her partner.
WWE Expect Mercedes Mone To Return
Speaking on the latest edition of Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer has now revealed that WWE are still expecting their former star to return. Meltzer noted that Mone may be put off from signing with AEW as a deal would likely tie her to the company for three years.
“I also know from WWE that they are very strongly under the impression that she will not wrestle for AEW…They think that she’s coming back at some point and she’ll get this out of her system [and] she’ll do her New Japan matches. She’s only contracted for a couple of matches…If she’s going to AEW, she’s got to sign for 3 years minimum because why bother if she’s going back [to WWE]. For AEW it would be really stupid to put her on TV if she’s gonna go back in 6 months. I don’t know that she wants to make that commitment that she can’t go back…”
Mercedes Mone signed with WWE back in 2012 and was given the name Sasha Banks. The Boss went on to establish herself as one of the best female wrestlers in the company, revolutionising women’s wrestling alongside Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair and Bayley. The star had been at odds with WWE since walking out of the May 16th, 2022 taping for Monday Night Raw alongside her tag team partner Naomi. It was reported that she became a free agent on January 1st 2023.
H/t to WrestlingNewsCo