Mercedes Mone Confirms Late Change To Finish Of Huge Title Match

Mercedes Mone has revealed that a late change was made to one of her matches.

After leaving WWE, Mercedes Mone headed to NJPW, debuting at Wrestle Kingdom 17 in January 2023.

That May, Mone, Willow Nightingale, Stephanie Vaquer, and Momo Kohgo took part in a one-night tournament to crown the inaugural NJPW Strong Women’s Champion. In the finals, Mone took on Nightingale with the latter picking up the win after Mone broke her heel during the match.

It was reported after the event that the title had been created for Mone, suggesting the finish had been changed in the ring.

During an appearance on The Junkies on 106.7 The Fan, Mone confirmed she changed the finish of the match on the fly as she “couldn’t even stand up.”

“Just the many years of practicing and training in the ring, you’re prepared to take all these bumps safely and effortlessly. Sometimes the moves really hurt and you can get injured and sometimes you don’t know who’s going to win.

When I broke my heel last year, I was supposed to win this championship (NJPW STRONG Women’s Title). But I was too injured that I (just) told the girl, I’m like, ‘Um, you’re gonna have to win this title’ because I couldn’t even stand up. So, you never know what’s gonna happen in wrestling and I think that’s what’s the funnest part. It’s like, yes, it’s live. Yes, it’s predetermined but, you have no idea what’s gonna happen.”

Once recovered, Mone signed with AEW and got her revenge on Nightingale, pinning her to claim the TBS Championship. At Forbidden Door, Mone got the better of Stephanie Vaquer to finally get her hands on the NJPW Strong Women’s Title.

Mercedes Mone Discusses “Mixed Reactions”

Following that victory at Forbidden Door, Mone was confronted by Britt Baker, setting up a match between the pair a All In. At Wembley Stadium in London, Mone grabbed the win to keep hold of the TBS Title, but not everyone was impressed with the action in the ring.

Writing in her newsletter, Mercedes Mone said she was aware of the “mixed reactions,” adding she “sensed some audience fatigue.”

Mone will make the next defence of her TBS Title at All Out against Hikaru Shida.

H/t to POST Wrestling