In the latest edition of her Moné Mag, Mercedes said it was a mistake for her to tease the idea of collaborating with Stallion during a recent interview. The CEO insinuated that WWE must have caught wind of her plans to work with Megan and swooped in to prevent the popular artist fromcolluding with their competition.
“It could all be a coincidence, of course. But then, they don’t call me the blueprint for nothing.
In hindsight, I should have kept my mouth shut about it, but all you can do is live and learn.”
If WWE’s decision to work with Stallion did stem to nullify a potential Stallion-AEW partnership, then Moné is “flattered and honored” to still carry such influence in the promotion she left two years ago. While plans ultimately did not come to pass between herself and Stallion, the TBS Champion is happy to see Megan succeed.
“I’m still happy for her. She’s a great person and talent who will get exposure to the vast wrestling audience.”
As for Moné, she is coming off a successful title defense at AEW All Out against Hikaru Shida. Moné has promised “a lot more brewing” in her future, but whatever she has in store it won’t involve Megan Thee Stallion.
Ahead of SmackDown’s return to the USA Network, WWE confirmed that Neva Play, a track by Megan Thee Stallion featuring RM of BTS will serve as the blue brand’s new theme song. Getting the award-winning artist on board is a huge score for WWE, especially as she was reportedly set to work with WWE’s chief rival not too long ago.
Megan Thee Stallion had agreed to collaborate with AEW TBS Champion Mercedes Moné, PW Insider reports, before she agreed for her track to become the official theme song of WWE SmackDown. Negotiations took place between Megan’s manager, Mike B of Roc Nation, and Mercedes’ manager, Keven Undergaro, about a collaboration.
The two met in February at the Crunchyroll Anime Awards in Japan where both women presented awards. Moné hinted at a collaboration with the award-winning artist in the run-up to AEW’s recent All In: London 2024 pay-per-view.
— Mercedes Moné Varnado (@MercedesVarnado) March 2, 2024
Megan Thee Stallion In Wrestling
SmackDown’s new theme song marks Megan Thee Stallion’s official arrival in the world of wrestling, but she has teased involvement in the past. In March of this year, ex-WWE Superstar Mojo Rawley claimed that WWE had planned for Moné (Sasha Banks at the time) to face Megan at a SummerSlam PLE but that never occurred.
Following her song becoming the official theme of SmackDown, Megan teased making her official debut for the promotion. Stay tuned to SEScoops for all the latest on Megan Thee Stallion’s possible involvement with WWE now her song will be heard every Friday night.
AEW touts itself as the place “Where the Best Wrestle,” but the company also presents plenty of glorious violence. At AEW All Out, Jon Moxley betrayed Bryan Danielson following the American Dragon’s successful AEW World Title defense, ending the Blackpool Combat Club. Moxley’s attack on his former ally, which included suffocating Bryan with a plastic bag, has spawned a debate as to whether the segment went too far in the name of entertainment.
All Out also saw Mercedes Moné retain her AEW TBS Championship against Hikaru Shida and she was among those in the NOW Arena who saw the attack on Danielson unfold. In her newsletter, the CEO admits that the attack was hard to watch and she wouldn’t want some in her family viewing this kind of wrestling content.
“Bryan’s stuff was tough to watch. I have mixed emotions. When done right, that kind of stuff can tear a roof off like Daniel’s did. However, I wouldn’t want my brother Joshua to watch stuff like that, or kids, for that matter.”
Moné went on to recall growing up without a father, and the joy she feels meeting parents and children at meet-and-greets who’ve bonded over watching wrestling that all can enjoy. On the other hand, Moné accepts that there is “an audience that loves the extreme, and you want to cater to them, too.
AEW has opted not to feature the suffocation spot on social media due to the graphic content. There is a question as to whether those in AEW feel the spot cannot be shared, or whether this tweet was posted to demonstrate just how violent All Out was.
Due to the graphic nature of the attack on Bryan Danielson, we will not be sharing the footage. AEW does not condone such actions.
Since launching in 2019, AEW has been able to push the envelope when it comes to violence compared to its competitors at WWE. While many appreciate AEW providing an alternative in that regard, there will always be a question of where the proverbial line is, and whether AEW has crossed it. Stay tuned to SEScoops for the latest on Mercedes Mone and the action from All Elite Wrestling.
As the global juggernaut of professional wrestling, WWE is no stranger to lawsuits ranging from the serious to the downright bizarre. Now, the promotion has been hit with a suit alleging, among other things, that WWE stole ideas without proper compensation.
Leland Owens filed a lawsuit on September 3 in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Washington, alleging that WWE failed to pay him for ideas he submitted for their programming. A portion of the filing reads:
“I gave the WWE ideas and never got paid. I also told Daniel Bryan (at the time what I was going to do with my earnings with said ideas and the World Wrestling Entertainment tried to get in front of it because Vince thinks of this as competition. We have a verbal agreement in which was supposed to talk about at the time I receive my payment for my ideas.”
Among the ideas Owens allegedly provided include a unique cage match stipulation as well as the Premium Live Event name ‘Stomping Grounds.’ WWE’s first, and to date, only Stomping Grounds PLE took place in June 2019 in Tacoma, Washington. Owens allegedly pitched ideas over Instagram to WWE CCO Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque.
Hush Money Payment
In addition to the alleged idea theft, Owens claims in the lawsuit that Daniel Bryan (now AEW star Bryan Danielson) and Mercedes Moné (formerly known as Sasha Banks in WWE) sent him a $100,000 check described as “hush money.” This payment was intended to keep Owens quiet after an inappropriate comment about Owens’ daughter was allegedly made by Stephanie McMahon, the filing adds. McMahon stepped down from her WWE role in early 2023 but has made sporadic appearances for the company, including at WWE SummerSlam last month.
WWE has not publicly responded to the suit at this time. This week has also seen WWE hit by a lawsuit regarding alleged improper use of Cody Rhodes’ ‘American Nightmare’ nickname. Stay tuned to SEScoops for updates on these lawsuits and other developments in WWE’s legal affairs.
Mercedes Mone will be defending her AEW TBS Championship against Hikaru Shida at the upcoming All Out PPV in a week’s time.
This week’s episode of Collision featured a fatal four-way match among Thunder Rosa, Serena Deeb, Queen Aminata, and Hikaru Shida to determine the next challenger for the former WWE star.
Shida got the upper hand early in the bout when she sent Rosa crashing into the other two women. Though she couldn’t maintain the momentum for long and Thunder Rosa came back with a chop.
This bout went on for almost 15 minutes. The ending saw Aminata turning a back body drop on Shida into a roll up to try and sneak a pin. The Japanese star countered with a forearm and an enzuiguri. She then followed it up with a Katana for the win.
This is the sixth match that has been announced for the upcoming AEW PPV event. The show includes matches such as Bryan Danielson defending his AEW World Title against TNT Champion Jack Perry and more. Here is the updated All Out match card:
AEW International Championship: Will Ospreay (c) vs. Pac
Chicago Street Fight: Willow Nightingale vs. Kris Statlander (with Stokely Hathaway)
Steel Cage Match: Swerve Strickland vs. “Hangman” Adam Page
Singles Match: MJF vs. Daniel Garcia
AEW TBS Championship Match: Mercedes Moné (c) vs. Hikaru Shida
AEW World Heavyweight Championship Match: Bryan Danielson (c) vs. Jack Perry
AEW All Out 2024 will be taking place from the Now Arena in Hoffman Estates, Illinois next Saturday, September 7.
AEW TBS Champion Mercedes Mone recently revealed that Royal Corgis were part of her entrance at AEW All In London.
During the latest edition of her Mone Mag newsletter, Mercedes Mone revealed that the Corgis who were part of her entrance at the show in Wembley were actually the Royal Corgis. She named Snowdon, Honey, and Jam who were the Corgis for her entrance and revealed that they were descendants of Queen Elizabeth’s Corgis. ‘The CEO’ also revealed how they had a great time backstage. She said:
“Snowdon, Honey, and Jam, were the name of the corgis who I shared my entrance carriage with. These were not just any corgis mind you, they were corgis from actual royal lineage. Snowdon, Honey and Jam were descendants of the Queen’s corgis (as in Queen Elizabeth). Like most corgis, they were so loving and connected. They hung in our dressing room all day and really added a lot of calm and love. Big shoutout to @?corgis_of_eton!“
Mercedes Mone also revealed that she spent over $10K on her outfit. She revealed:
“My hair wasn’t the only thing that cost a pretty penny. My robe, which was so beautiful, grand, and regal, was also my most expensive in my 14 years of wrestling. The whole outfit, in total, cost me over $10,000, All In (no pun intended).”
AEW All In London 2023 She was watching over the competition. AEW All In London 2024 She defends the TBS Title.
Can the TBS Champion Mercedes Moné leave Wembley Stadium #ANDSTILL?
Last year, Mercedes Mone was in attendance for All In London and this year she managed to retain her title at the show. She defeated Britt Baker D.M.D to retain her TBS Championship. This marked Mone’s sixth defense of the title that she won back at the Double Or Nothing pay-per-view in May. ‘The CEO’ will return to the ring at NJPW Capital Collision when she defends her NJPW Strong Women’s Title against Momo Watanabe.
AEW TBS Champion Mercedes Mone feels truly seen as part of Tony Khan’s first promotion and has said that hasn’t always been the case in her career. Writing for The Independent ahead of this weekend’ AEW All In: London 2024 event, Mone spoke of the respect she is shown as an ‘All Elite’ talent.
“In WWE you have no idea what you’ll be doing week to week, but here I have space to be heard. Along with Tony Khan and with my friend and personal writer Jennifer Pepperman, there’s time to sit down and really plan out the kinds of stories we want to tell.
“I’m treated with genuine respect, and I really feel seen in a way I sometimes haven’t before. I love it so much here.”
Mone joined AEW at the Big Business: Dynamite show in March of this year, close to two years after she and Naomi walked out of WWE in May of 2022. Mone would subsequently join New Japan Pro Wrestling where she is a former IWGP Women’s Champion.
What’s To Come?
Mone will put her TBS Championship on the line at AEW All In: London 2024 against Britt Baker, a match fans have been itching to see long before Mone was ‘All Elite.’ On this week’s Dynamite, Baker addressed Mone’s past as ‘one of four’ (a nod to her role in WWE’s Four Horsewomen) while the DMD sees herself as one-of-a-kind.
AEW All In: London 2024 will take place tomorrow, August 25, from Wembley Stadium in London, England. Stay tuned to SE Scoops for all the latest on All In: London 2024, including live results.
AEW star Mercedes Moné is speaking about her divorce for the first time.
Moné actively communicates with her fans on social media and via her official newsletter. In a has new video on her YouTube channel, the AEW TBS Champion shares the details about why she and Sarath Tan are separating.
“Tomorrow finally, after a long, long time, I’ll be finally signing my divorce papers.”
“I’m excited, happy and for me.. I’m just ready to be free. I’m ready to be free of not being afraid. For long, i’ve kept this secret because of how fast life has been going… I just didn’t want the outside world to judge or say anything, especially during a time while all of this is happeninG”
She credits Sarath with saving her life and being an incredible guy that she’s so thankful for.
“Sarath, my ex-husband now, we had such a great relationship, and he’s such an amazing, incredible guy, that I’m so thankful for, he’s another person that changed and saved my life.”
She’s excited to be free and to say that she’s finally getting a divorce. She recalls being asked about her marriage regularly during interviews and not knowing how to handle the subject. They had been separated for a long time, around December 2020. He moved out the following month while she was shooting The Mandalorian while trying to get into the main event of WrestleMania that year, so she was extra-concerned about her privacy at that time. Now, it’s time for her to begin the next chapter of her life.
AEW star Mercedes Moné and her husband Sarath Ton have filed for divorce (dissolution of marriage). They were married on August 4, 2016.
Varnado and Ton, a WWE costume designer best known as Mikaze, met in 2010. He’s credited with designing some of the most iconic outfits worn by her former persona, Sasha Banks.
According to records available at the Clark of the Circuit Cort and Comptroller of Seminole County, Florida, the divorce proceedings were filed Tuesday, July 30, 2024.
AEW TBS/NJPW Strong Women’s Champion Mercedes Mone will step foot in an NJPW ring this month for the first time since suffering a career-threatening ankle injury. On Twitter, the New Japan account shared that Mone will compete at the Capital Collision show on August 30, in Washington, D.C. An opponent for Mone has not been named at this time.
This will be Mone’s first match in NJPW since her Resurgence 2023 match with Willow Nightingale in which she suffered an ankle injury. The injury forced plans to change and Nightingale won the Stong Women’s Championship that had reportedly been created with Mone in mind. The injury would also cost Mone over a year of action before returning to the ring at AEW Double or Nothing in May 2024, where she’d win the AEW TBS title from Nightingale.
NJPW Captial Collision will feature other top names including NJPW Strong Openweight Champion Gabe Kidd, who’ll defend against Lio Rush. Zack Sabre Jr. Trish Adora, Fred Rosser, and Tom Lawlor have also been announced the the upcoming event.
Mercedes Mone’s Future Plans
It isn’t just in New Japan that fans will get to see Mone in action. The CEO will defend her AEW TBS Championship at All In against Britt Baker. On this week’s Dynamite, Mone claimed that “my EVPs” the Young Bucks had suspended Baker following an altercation between the DMD and Mone at San Diego Comic-Con. Baker and Mone will collide inside Wembley Stadium on August 25.
Keep tuned in to SE Scoops for all the latest on Mercedes Mone and her journey to AEW All In: London 2024 later this month.
Kamille has finally showed up in AEW and she has first set her sights on Britt Baker. The former NWA Women’s Worlds Champion has been patiently waiting to make her pro wrestling return at some point, with heavy speculation that she did sign with AEW and she confirmed that on this week’s episode of AEW Dynamite.
Britt Baker had a back and forth battle with an old AEW rival in Hikaru Shida and she got the former AEW Women’s Champion to tap via the Lockjaw. As Baker was celebrating, Mercedes Mone sauntered down the ramp. As Baker focused on Mone, she was caught off guard by the big boot of Kamille, who leveled the D.M.D. It was all part of the plan for Mone as it appears that Kamille will be the enforcer for “The C.E.O.”
Kamille certainly passes the classic ‘airport test’ of pro wrestling as she certainly turns heads with her physique and size. The vibe of Kamille very much reflects that of Jade Cargill, one of AEW’s original stars who now calls WWE home.
While Cargill has a great deal of TV time, Kamille has a historic NWA Women’s Worlds Championship run as she had the gold for an impressive 813 days before dropping it to Kenzie Paige.
Kamille has been a free agent in the world of pro wrestling since January so she hasn’t been a television presence for over six months. Kamille adds to a growing AEW Women’s division as she joins rising stars such as Willow Nightingale and Mariah May, but also a good deal of veteran talent on the roster as well.
Mandy Rose and Mercedes Mone share plenty in common as the two former WWE stars have found their own success outside of the company, but in different manners.
Rose happened to fired from WWE due to her selling provactive content behind a paywall. Mone, on the other hand, walked out of the company due to creative differences.
Speaking with TMZ Sports last month, Mone revealed that she now has creative contral while in AEW, but does work closely with Tony Khan in developng stories and ideas.
As it stands now, Mone is the top heel in the women’s division and has two titles to hold in the TBS Women’s Championship and the NJPW Strong Women’s Championship. She’s now finding herself in a budding feud with the returning Britt Baker, but may have some added allies as she’s formed a friendship with The Elite.
Rose was a recent guest on the “Speaking Alphas” podcast and said that the creative aspect was always a big sticking point for Mone while she was Sasha Banks. She commended her former colleague for getting what she wanted in AEW.
“I remember in WWE, like, if she wasn’t happy with something, it was hard for her to be able to speak out about it because certain circumstances and people really weren’t going to change it. Then it was useless to even speak out cause you’re just wasting your breath. So I think that’s cool that she does have all of that creative control.”
Rose hasn’t competed in the ring since getting fired from WWE at the end of 2022, but she was one of the hottest acts for NXT as the leader for Toxic Attraction alongside Jacy Jayne and Gigi Dolin.
All Elite Wrestling isn’t holding back with their 250th episode of Dynamite with a stacked card already announced for the July 17, show.
Close to five years after the first episode of Dynamite in October 2019, AEW will celebrate its milestone figure next week from the Simmons Bank Arena in North Little Rock, Arkansas. The crowd will not only get to watch the 250th episode of Dynamite, but AEW will also tape the July 19, edition of Rampage at the show.
MJF Vs. Will Ospreay
On the July 10, edition of Dynamite, MJF, fresh off last week’s heel turn, had some verbal barbs for Will Ospreay. MJF belittled the “flippy guy” and said he’s seen countless wrestlers like Ospreay come and go throughout his career. MJF then announced his plans to challenge Ospreay for the AEW International Title next week. Ospreay, who was in the ring, accepted the challenge.
"If you get in the ring with me, you will be exposed."
It will be champion vs. champion next week when AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland faces AEW Continental Champion Kazuchika Okada. Strickland appeared following Bryan Danielson’s victory in the Owen Hart Men’s Tournament and spoke about his challenger for AEW All In.
Strickland also revealed that he will be on Team AEW against the Elite for the upcoming Blood & Guts match. Strickland ended his promo by challenging Okada for a match for Dynamite 250 that has been made official, and added that All In will be Bryan Danielson’s ‘final countdown.’
#AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland makes a challenge to the AEW Continental Champion Kazuchika Okada!
At Forbidden Door, Mercedes Mone became a double champion and the CEO is ready to take on (almost) all comers. On Twitter, Mone said that she will defend her titles in an open challenge on AEW Dynamite 250. This challenge can be accepted by anyone, with the exception of Britt Baker.
To celebrate #AEWDynamite250 next week in Little Rock, I am going to have an open challenge for my TBS Title. The challenge is open to any woman on the AEW Roster except @RealBrittBaker
— Mercedes Moné Varnado (@MercedesVarnado) July 11, 2024
Mercedes Mone confirms that she bumped into Shane McMahon over the weekend at New York City’s LaGuardia Airpot.
Mone defeated Stephanie Vaquer at AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door on Sunday to capture the Strong Women’s Championship. She’s now a double-champion and has held the TBS title since her win over Willow Nightingale at Doubule or Nothing back in May.
Mone she couldn’t believe her eyes when she came face-to-face with an old friend. The CEO sent the following message to subscribers of her weekly newsletter:
“My first day being a double title holder and the first wrestler and former WWE Superstar I see is [Shane] McMahon….come on, if that isn’t the universe working in divine timing, I don’t know what else it could be,
I’ve always loved Shane. When we locked eyes, we both kind of looked at each other like IS THAT YOU? Our faces lit up as we got to talking a bit and before he boarded his flight, he gave me his number… the rest as they say [is] history or maybe a mystery!”
Shane McMahon & AEW
The idea of Shane McMahon appearing for All Elite Wrestling is far-fetched, but this is pro wrestling and stranger things have happened.
During a recent edition of the Grilling JR podcast, Jim Ross and Conrad Thompson discussed the possibility of Shane McMahon in AEW. JR said the idea is so crazy it might just work, but it would all hinge on the creative storytelling. The hypothetical scenario became a hot topic of conversation online and is not out of the realm of possibility.
“There was a friend of ours, I shouldn’t say their name, but he went out of his way to text me and say, ‘Hey, that’s not as crazy as you think. I know for sure that Shane McMahon has reached out to wrestlers on the AEW roster to at least hypothetically discuss the idea.’ Are we saying that’s going to happen? No. We are saying it’s not that crazy of an idea,” said Conrad.
Tony Khan has spoken about Shane McMahon publicly a few times over the years, most recently during an interview with Justin Barrasso for SI. Khan said he’s heard the rumors about Shane asking around about AEW and he’d welcome the opportunity to meet.
“I have a lot of respect for him as an executive and a professional wrestler. Shane is always welcome in AEW.”
Baker, who hadn’t been seen in AEW for months, addressed her absence on Beach Break on July 3. She revealed on Dynamite that her condition towards the end of 2023 was not good. She suffered from burnout, two herniated disks, and an injured hip labrum.
The Dentist explained that she started feeling sick and experienced symptoms such as blurry vision and a numb and tingly right arm. She was diagnosed with a Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA), which worsened, causing her entire right side to stop working, leading to a week-long hospital stay.
Fortunately, Baker’s health has improved, allowing her to return to AEW. The 33-year-old stated that she is now in good health and ready for in-ring action. Her first target upon return is Mercedes Mone, who she challenged for a match at AEW All In: London in August. However, Mone wasn’t keen on giving Baker a chance at her title and the match is not official just yet.
CEO vs. DMD
Mercedes Mone and Britt Baker have spoken about wanting to work together before, but their on-screen dynamic is far more tense now that this match is likely happening this summer.
At Sunday’s AEW Forbidden Door post-show media scrum, Mone spoke about the significance of winning the Strong Women’s Championship. She took the opportunity to address Baker’s surprise return after her match, which she felt was a poor choice.
“Well, I know a certain bitch wanted to come out and decided to steal my spotlight, right? But that’s not gonna happen, because I’m gonna party all night long and show her that I am Mercedes Mone for a reason. And there’s a price to pay when you interrupt me, ok.”
AEW All In 2024 takes place Saturday, August 25 from London’s historic Wembley Stadium.
Mercedes Mone loves the WWE, but she says they were difficult to deal with when she was offered a role in The Mandalorian.
Speaking on HOT 97 in promotion for AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door, the former Sasha Banks talked about her time under the Star Wars banner as Koska Reeves, and how WWE wasn’t as enthused with her being in a galaxy far, far away.
“I love WWE but they tried so hard to not make me do the Mandalorian and put me on house shows when I was supposed to film.”
Mercedes noted that WWE would put her on house shows to further complicate her Mandalorian aspirations.
“It was pulling teeth just to get on that show.”
So happy they didn’t succeed in stopping her and she’s in a good place now, absolutely crazy. pic.twitter.com/4yoHl0giHz
Someone who is familiar with pulling teeth is Mone’s next big rival in AEW, Britt Baker, DMD. Mone secured a solid victory against Stephanie Vacquer on Sunday before Baker walked out to make clear she has her eyes on Mercedes multiple gold.
In the past, WWE garnered a reputation for not being supportive of talent outside the “WWE Universe.” Even back when Batista first got casted as Drax The Destroyer in Marvel’s Guardians Of The Galaxy franchise, WWE didn’t do any promotion for the film despite the fact that “The Animal” made his return for WrestleMania XXX.
Another talent familiar with WWE stonewalling their silver screen aspirations was The Rock. Aside from his WWE film projects, WWE didn’t exactly herald The Rock’s initial rise stardom until he came back into the company fold. On the flip side of that, The Rock had to distance himself a little from his pro wrestling past when he tried his hand at Hollywood.
Circumstances may be greatly different in WWE without Vince McMahon at the helm. With The Rock now on the TKO Board Of Directors and Triple H being more open-minded, Mone and other modern talent could be getting the WWE support from outside ventures.
Mercedes Mone is unhappy with Britt Baker trying to steal her spotlight at Forbidden Door 2024 and she has invited the DMD for a confrontation.
The AEW TBS Champion picked up a big victory at the company’s latest PPV. She defeated Stephanie Vaquer to win the NJPW Strong Women’s Championship. Though she couldn’t celebrate for long as Britt Baker made her return and stared down the former WWE star.
The double champion took part in the post Forbidden Door media scrum where she was asked about having a double target on her back and if she had any message for someone coming after her. Mercedes Mone claimed that there is a price to pay for anyone who interrupts her:
“Well, I know a certain bitch wanted to come out and decided to steal my spotlight, right? But that’s not gonna happen, because I’m gonna party all night long and show her that I am Mercedes Mone for a reason. And there’s a price to pay when you interrupt me ok.”
Mercedes Mone Teases Britt Baker Confrontation
Mercedes then reiterated that she is the biggest free agent signing in AEW history before inviting Baker for a confrontation at this Wednesday’s Dynamite:
“Tonight was about me and my celebration. Who the hell does Britt Baker thinks that she is? She wants to show up to my show? I understand she is the first ever woman to sign here in AEW. But Tony, am I correct that I am the biggest free agent that you’ve ever signed here? So this Wednesday at Dynamite, to any woman who wants to come out here and steal my spotlight — it’s on.”
Britt Baker has been away from ring for more than 9 months. She last competed against Kris Statlander at the September 16, 2023 episode of AEW Collision. Now it’d be interesting to see what the company has planned for the former women’s champion.
You can check out the full Forbidden Door 2024 media scrum below:
Mercedes Mone is still the CEO of the TBS Championship, but she may have to deal with Britt Baker.
Mone retained her TBS Title and became the NJPW Strong Women’s Champion against Stephanie Vaquer. However, it was the challenger who stole the show with her performance. Vaquer was trending worldwide although Mone picked up the W in a hard-fought match and the Long Island crowd was in store for a treat as Britt Baker walked out on the entryway to confront Mone.
— ??Garrett Burroughs?? (@notorious_gmb) July 1, 2024
Baker has been gone from AEW for months and it was greatly unknown regarding her status with the company. AEW President Tony Khan did give an optimistic update this week during the media call, expressing excitement for her forthcoming return.
“It’s going to feel amazing when we’ve got great stars — Britt Baker is a great example — it will be great to have the Doctor back in AEW,” Khan stated. “Certainly, for me, I know that Dr. Britt Baker and fans all over the world will be excited to see her return. I’m glad that she’s going to be cleared to return very soon.”
Britt Baker feuding with Mercedes Mone has been a high-profile beef that AEW fans have been clamouring for and by all indications we’re about to get that. Since making her debut, Mone has primarily feuded with Willow Nightingale who competed earlier on the Forbidden Door card in tag action.
Mone vs. Vaquer wasn’t the only women’s match on the card as Toni Storm took on Mina Shirakawa for the AEW Women’s Championship. Storm retained her title in that one as she and Shirakawa “kissed it out” following the fight.
Mercedes Mone has said that she has creative control in AEW.
The AEW TBS Champion has been in news recently due to various reasons, including her upcoming champion vs champion match against NJPW Strong Women’s Champion Stephanie Vaquer at Forbidden Door this Sunday.
TMZ sports cameras caught up with the female star ahead of her big match this weekend. Mone was asked if she has finally found the creative control in AEW which she was missing in WWE, and the former Sasha Banks explained that opportunities are endless for her in Tony Khan’s promotion:
“I feel like here at AEW, all of my dreams and opportunity is just endless. So of course, being the TBS champion, and this Sunday at Forbidden Door, I’m about to be two-time champion. I’m gonna be the TBS champion and the New Japan Strong Champion. So yes, this little creativity that I have of taking all the belts, and going global, it’s beautiful.”
It’s A Great Combo: Mercedes Mone
When pressed again, the Mandalorian star claimed that she indeed has creative control in AEW and she works closely with the AEW President on her presentation:
“Yes I have creative control, but I work with Tony Khan very closely, so it’s great, it’s a great combo.”
In a different interview earlier this week, Mercedes Mone had revealed that she was in talks with AEW for 2 years before she finally signed with the company.
It’s very much possible that creative control was one of the reasons why the negotiations ran so long before she made her debut for the promotion during the March 13 episode of Dynamite this year.
AEW TBS Champion Mercedes Mone has backed Boston Celtics’ Jaylen Brown after the latter faced criticism. On ESPN’s First Take, Stephen A. Smith claimed that his NBA sources texted him saying Brown is not “liked” due to his ego and that’s why he’s not marketable. Boston Celtics shooting guard responded to Smith on X and asked him to reveal his sources.
Mercedes Mone also entered the fray. She backed Jaylen Brown and said that she wanted to have a chat with Stephen A. Smith’s source. ‘The CEO’ further questioned the identity of the ‘source.’ She also flaunted her AEW TBS title win and said she’s “super excited” to see Brown win the NBA title.
“Hey
@stephenasmith, from one #GOAT to another, The CEO wants to sit down with your source.
@FCHWPO, from one superstar to another, I just won my championship & I’m super excited to see you win yours. Keep lifting the game and the community the way you’ve been doing. Go Celtics”
Hey @stephenasmith, from one #GOAT to another, The CEO wants to sit down with your source. @FCHWPO, from one superstar to another, I just won my championship & I'm super excited to see you win yours. Keep lifting the game and the community the way you've been doing. Go Celtics 💚
— Mercedes Moné Varnado (@MercedesVarnado) May 30, 2024
Mercedes Mone has been an ardent Boston Celtics fan and she is often spotted in attendance for their NBA games. She was also spotted at a game following her AEW debut at ‘Big Business’ edition of AEW Dynamite in her hometown, Boston.
‘The CEO’ recently made an impactful in-ring debut for AEW. She dethroned Willow Nightingale at AEW Double Or Nothing pay-per-view at MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. In the final moments of the match, Mercedes hit her finisher, Mone Maker, and captured the title on her in-ring debut.
Huge match for Mercedes Mone teased
During the latest edition of AEW Dynamite, Skye Blue was revealed as Mone’s mystery attacker which set up a title match between the two. ‘The CEO’ successfully retained her title and this marked her first title defense.
Following the match, CMLL’s Stephanie Vaquer, who is the NJPW Strong Women’s Champion made an appearance. As AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door is approaching soon, it seems that Mone and Vaquer could have a match at the pay-per-view.
New AEW TBS Champion Mercedes Mone received a special case of Tequila from George Clooney following her victory at AEW Double or Nothing 2024.
In one of three advertised main events of the show, Mone captured the title from Willow Nightingale, a year on from their NJPW Resurgence encounter. This title win was also Mone’s first match since joining AEW at the Big Business: Dynamite in March 2024. Double or Nothing would go from bad to worse for Nightingale who was also betrayed by Kris Statlander following her title loss.
On social media, Mone shared that she had received a case of Clooney’s Casamigos Tequila from the Ocean’s Eleven and Batman And Robin star. Mone explained that since she already had plenty of celebratory Tequila after her victory at Double or Nothing, she wanted ‘the boys’ to enjoy some of Clooney’s brand Tequila. This was good news for Orange Cassidy who was able to enjoy a drink with the new AEW TBS Champion.
On the May 29, edition of AEW Dynamite, Mone made her first successful title defense when she retained against Skye Blue. The young wrestler had been revealed as the woman behind a recent attack on Mone that set up their title match.
After that match, Mone was confronted by CMLL’s Stephanie Vaquer. In addition to appearing for CMLL, Vaquer is the reigning NJPW Strong Women’s Champion. It appears that a match between the two is being set up between the two at AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door.
When AEW signed Mercedes Mone to a deal, she had a big target on her. Now we know who was responsible for her backstage attack a few weeks ago, as Skye Blue stepped forward.
Mercedes Mone secured the TBS Championship at AEW Double or Nothing from Willow Nightingale. This week on Dynamite, she celebrated her victory with a big celebration and an unexpected revelation.
Skye Blue interrupted Mone’s celebration by attacking her. She revealed herself as the former Sasha Banks’ attacker from a few weeks ago on Dynamite.
Skye Blue cut the NEW #TBS Champion Mercedes Moné’s celebration short earlier tonight and faces her for the title RIGHT NOW!
A few weeks back, Mercedes Mone was attacked backstage during an interview. The mystery was solved when Blue admitted to being the woman behind the attack, and she got a payoff.
A TBS Title match was set for later that night. Mercedes defeated Sky Blue to retain her title. With another mystery solved in All Elite Wrestling, Mone was confronted by NJPW Stong Women’s Champion Stephanie Vaquer. The fact that both Mone and Vaquer were raising their titles at the end of the segment could give us a Forbidden Door preview.
Is #NJPW Strong Women's Champion Stephanie Vaquer calling her shot against #TBS Champion Mercedes Moné?!
Stokely Hathaway is in his element as a heel and he welcomes any creative type of heat he’s getting online after turning on Willow Nightingale.
Hathaway and Kris Statlander got sick of supporting Willow Nightingale, especially after she lost the TBS Women’s Championship to Mercedes Mone in one of the three main event matches of AEW Double or Nothing. Nightingale was super over as a babyface while Mone is finally easing into her heel identity and so will Stokely and Statlander.
AEW has advertised that we’ll hear more from Hathaway and Statlander on the forthcoming Dynamite, but Stokely heard quite a bit from fans after he and Statlander did Willow dirty at Double or Nothing.
Stokely took to X to share screenshots of some of the creative negative comments he’s gotten so far, including:
“I hope you got diarrhea for a month you f***ing traitor.”
“Count your days Milk Dud.”
“I know Darby used your head and a magnifying glass to light the flame-thrower.”
Also, some fans kept it simple with “F*** you, man,” “You b****,” and “Big Stoke, more like B**** Stoke.” He also added another one in the replies that said “I hope you done like Darby and hit by a bus.”
Mercedes Mone says wrestling not only changed her life, but it also saved her life.
The CEO made her in-ring debut for Tony Khan’s promotion at tonight’s Double or Nothing PPV from Las Vegas. She defeated TBS Champion Willow Nightingale to win her first title in the company.
The new champion took part in the AEW media scrum after the show. When asked how it felt to return to the ring after over a year of inaction, Mone claimed that AEW saved her life:
“Wow. How did it finally feel after a year of being away from something that I loved since I was a little girl? Wrestling has not only changed my life, but saved my life. And coming here to AEW has saved my life, Tony. It’s given me new hopes, new dreams, new chances, new opportunities.”
AEW Is Where The Best Wrestle: Mercedes Mone
Mone put over her opponent for the night, Willow as one of the greatest women she has ever stepped in the ring with. Mercedes then claimed that AEW showed tonight that WWE is not the only place for wrestlers:
“It feels so incredible. I’ve been waiting for this moment, really ever since I got signed to AEW. But really, for the past two years, not knowing where I was going to be. What was going to happen after leaving WWE, what was going to be next for me. Because a lot of times in wrestling, people think WWE is the only place. And I think tonight, we showed the wrestling world that it’s not the only place. AEW is where the best wrestle.”
Mercedes Mone later talked about Double or Nothing being the 5 year anniversary of the company’s first ever show and claimed that they are going to show the world that AEW is the best place to be.
The former Sasha Banks made her AEW debut at Double or Nothing and left the MGM Grand Arena as a champion.
Mercedes Mone faced Willow Nightingale for the AEW TBS Title at Double or Nothing. Their match was the first of three main event matches for the night.
After a competitive match, Mercedes executed the Mone Maker and secured a clean win, marking her in-ring debut for AEW and making her the new TBS Champion.
Mercedes and Nightingale entered the match with history. They previously faced off in NJPW, where Mercedes suffered an ankle injury that cost her the NJPW Strong Women’s Title and led to nearly a year on the sidelines.
Mercedes had a notable entrance for her match. A drum line accompanied her to the ring, adding to the moment as they kept pace with her CEO music.
The CEO Mercedes Moné makes her AEW in-ring debut as she looks to capture TBS gold & revenge!
This victory established Mercedes in AEW, setting the stage for her future in the company. Excalibur sang her praises after the win, saying that Mercedes will be tough to beat with a finisher like the Mone Maker.
After the match, Kris Statlander turned on Willow, hit her, and ripped off her friendship bracelet, adding insult to injury. Stokely Hathaway approved of this turn, marking a separation with Nightingale.
