Mercedes Mone has detailed how her plans changed prior to officially becoming All Elite.
Back in May 2022, the former Sasha Banks and Naomi walked out of an episode of WWE Raw while the show was live. Forcing creative plans to be changed at short notice, WWE commentary called out Banks and Naomi for their lack of professionalism in a move that was heavily criticised by fans.
The following January, Banks officially arrived as Mercedes Mone with a shock appearance at Wrestle Kingdom 17. Following a brief run in New Japan, Mone was sidelined with an injury for the rest of 2023 and the early part of 2024. While Mone was spotted in the crowd at Wembley Stadium at All In 2023 and would eventually join AEW at the Big Business special in March 2024, things could have been a lot different.
Writing in her newsletter, Mone stated that she had previously attended an LA Rams game in SoFi Stadium, the location for WrestleMania 39, and said that she needed to be a part of it:
The funny thing is that before last year’s All In, I attended an LA Rams game at the new Sofi stadium in LA. Kev and I were, of course, on the field for it – that’s just how we roll. It was fun, but in the back of my head, I kept thinking, ‘This is where WrestleMania is going to be.’ It’s an enormous, beautiful stadium in the tinsel town, the city of Angels. How could Snoop’s first cousin and a member of the Mandalorian cast NOT be here? Thus, at the end of the game, I leaned over to Kev and said, “I need to be here for Mania.” And at that time, that’s truly how I felt and what my plan was.
Continuing, Mone added that she had planned on returning to WWE at WrestleMania 39 prior to being invited to All In, adding that it was a casual invite:
I had planned on returning to WWE for WrestleMania in LA. That was, of course, before Tony invited us to see the show. Mind you, there were no discussions of signing with AEW. Zero. Tony, Kev. and I had texted as friends, but it was just a casual invite. I wanted to go not out of curiosity or to kick the tires but honestly because I love wrestling. To this day, when I have the time, I still watch the Indy shows. I really continue to have that much passion for it.
So, loving wrestling as I do, I knew it would be fun to watch. Also, deep down, I knew going there would help to support my fellow workers and the rival organization. As talent, we really need additional outlets. Having only one ticket in town serves no one but that one ticket. And even still, that one ticket tends to do better when it’s got someone to compete with. The fans also lose out as much as the talent when there are no alternative promotions.
Mercedes Mone Reveals When Plans Changed
Concluding her address to the fans, the TBS Champion stated that as she was sat in the crowd for All In her mind changed and she knew that AEW was the place for her:
It was about halfway through the show that my mind changed. When I knew AEW was the place to be. The fact that they got 80k rabid and passionate fans to attend an event that wasn’t Mania blew me away. It made me excited for wrestling in a way I had not felt in a long time. By the end of the show, getting way ahead of ourselves as my Advocate Kev admits to doing so often, we were planning the very entrance you’ll see this year!
Mercedes Mone will be in action at AEW All In 2024 as she defends the TBS Championship against a recently returning Britt Baker.
Featured image: AEW
