WWE expects Mercedes Mone (Sasha Banks) to return to the company eventually.
As noted, Mone made her New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) debut this week at Wrestle Kingdom 17. She confronted IWGP Women’s Champion KAIRI, teasing an eventual title match.
Also, it was teased that Mone could end up being revealed as Saraya’s surprise tag team partner against Britt Baker and Jamie Hayter for next week’s episode of All Elite Wrestling (AEW) Dynamite in Los Angeles.
However, on yesterday’s episode, it was revealed that Saraya would be teaming up with Toni Storm instead. Baker did tease the Mone rumors during her own promo, suggesting that she is “The Boss.” Dave Meltzer shed some light on the situation during a recent edition of Wrestling Observer Radio.
Meltzer noted that Mone is not in Los Angeles and is not coming to AEW. He speculates that Mone doesn’t want to make the commitment to AEW, as any would be a long-term one. It was added that WWE feels “very strongly” that she won’t wrestle for AEW.
In fact, WWE expects Mone back at some point after she gets this out of her system. Mone will do a few NJPW matches which will only keep her contracted for a short period of time. However, if she were to work with AEW it would likely be under a three-year deal minimum.
It wouldn’t be a smart move on AEW’s part to put Mone on television, only to have her back with WWE in a few months.
