Mercedes Mone Almost Quit Wrestling While In “Place Of Darkness”

Mercedes Mone considered retirement before joining AEW.

On May 16, 2022, Sasha Banks’ WWE career came to an explosive end as she walked out of a Monday Night Raw taping alongside fellow Women’s Tag Team Champion Naomi.

Although neither woman has ever revealed the exact details of what went on that day, it’s believed the final straw came following a row over creative.

After a spell with TNA, Naomi eventually returned to the company in January 2024, but Banks, now known as Mercedes Mone, has continued to wrestle elsewhere. Following her WWE exit, Mone remained away from the industry until appearing at Wrestle Kingdom 17 in January 2023.

From there, Mone appeared for NJPW and Stardom before debuting with AEW in March 2024.

During a new interview with Katee Sackhoff, Mone has now admitted that she contemplated retirement after leaving WWE.

I did. I did because of how hurt I was by it and how much it drove me into a place of darkness. I couldn’t believe something that brought me so much light in my life, that saved me so many times when I was a kid, brought me so much darkness.

I was just like, I don’t want to feel like this, I don’t want to have so much stress where I’m legit killing myself because all of the stress that I’m creating or the sadness that I’m bringing to myself because of this bad mental talk my head.

So, just a lot of healing, just a lot of healing and I told myself no, this is still what I freaking love, I love wrestling and I still have the same goal of when I was 10 years old and no one’s going to take that away. I felt like at this time, maybe they want to see me gone forever, maybe people want to see me disappear.

I’m like, I can’t give that to people, I can’t give up on myself and I can’t give up on my dream. I still have so much light and passion for this and such a chase and a drive. My light and my God told me, you’ve got to keep on going.

So here’s New Japan, take your bags, go to Japan and go make one of your dreams happen. That happened and then just more dreams kept on coming and coming and then more talks with AEW happened and then the connection just kind of realigned and it was finally perfect until I signed a contract with AEW and it felt so right because I knew I could create so much more new dreams and memories for women’s wrestling.”

Mercedes Mone Wanted WWE Return

Despite her acrimonious exit, Mercedes Mone later revealed that she wanted to return to WWE in time for WrestleMania 39. The star admitted she told those close to her that she needed to be back with the company for the event which was held at SoFi Stadium in California.

The TBS Champion added that this was before she spoke with AEW or Tony Khan about a deal.

However, before making her AEW debut, Mercedes Mone claimed she’ll return to WWE, explaining that she knows her story with the company isn’t over.

H/t to Fightful