Mercedes Mone Names The Match That Changed Her Forever

Mercedes Mone revealed that there is one match from her legendary career in pro wrestling that changed her in a lot of ways. 

When wrestling fans think about the growth of women’s wrestling over the last 15 years, Mercedes Mone will come to mind.

Whether she was WWE’s Sasha Banks as a central figure of the “Women’s Evolution” or as Mercedes Mone, who has thrived in AEW and NJPW among other places, there’s no doubt that the confident Mone has left her mark on the business she has loved.

At 34, Mercedes Mone likely has many more years ahead of her in pro wrestling, but she’s also accomplished a lot already.

Mercedes Mone Thinks Serious Injury Changed Her

The former TBS Champion, who was holding over a dozen titles at one time in 2025, is currently on a break from AEW television after losing the TBS Title to Willow Nightingale at the end of 2025.

During a May 2023 match against Willow Nightingale at NJPW Resurgence, Mone suffered a serious ankle injury that required surgery and put her on the shelf for nearly a year.

Writing in a recent edition of her Mone Mag newsletter, Mercedes called it a tragic injury that changed her in a lot of ways.

“My main event against Willow Nightingale for the NJPW Strong Women’s Title changed me forever.

That day was tragic. The worst injury of my career. The pain was like nothing I’d ever felt—but I knew I had to finish the match. I couldn’t let the promoters or fans down, but I also didn’t want to let Willow down.

That match kicked off a beautiful women’s lineage in New Japan Pro-Wrestling, and I’m so proud to be part of its foundation. Sometimes the hardest moments create the strongest futures.”