Mercedes Mone Opens Up About WWE Exit
Mercedes Mone is proud of how she handled her WWE exit.
The May 16th, 2022 episode of Monday Night Raw will forever be remembered in wrestling circles for Mercedes Mone and Naomi’s stunning walk-out. After a reported row over creative the Women’s Tag Team Champions left the arena with the taping in progress, causing the main event to be re-written on the fly.
It’s been claimed that the pair launched the tag title belts at John Laurinaitis on the way out. While Naomi returned to the company at the 2024 Royal Rumble, Mone — who was known as Sasha Banks in WWE, eventually headed to Japan.
Speaking in a new interview with Evan T Mack on the Kick Rocks Wrestling Podcast, Mone reflected on her departure from WWE, describing it as the hardest decision she’s ever taken, but something she’s very proud of.
“That’s a big question. That’s a big, big question. I really believe in, not only the universe, but I believe in myself and a higher power of light that comes over me. Something inside of me told me that I needed to go do this and stand up for myself. It was a very hard decision because wrestling in WWE has been my whole life. People don’t know, it’s been my whole life. It’s the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make in my whole life, but it’s the proudest.
It’s crazy, because I would not be sitting here, living the best version of my life and getting to be everything I’ve ever dreamt of, and more. It makes me so excited because that moment changed my whole life for the better. I’m so thankful for that moment. I’m so proud of myself. I’m so proud of Trinity, of just how strong we were.
Everybody wanted to talk about it. Everybody wanted to act like they were in the room. Everybody acted like they were in the room, or worked there, or were backstage, or knew what happened, or knew what was said.
All I know is that I handled it like a CEO, like the boss that I am, with my head held high. I can’t say anything but amazing things to WWE. I’m so thankful to the career they gave me, the fans they gave me, the life they gave me. The dreams that they gave me. So many dreams. I got to chase and live them all.
I get to do so much more. I have a lot of unfinished business in wrestling in a lot of places,”
Mercedes Mone Set To Join AEW
It’s believed that the former Women’s Champion will make her AEW debut on a special edition of Dynamite titled “Big Business” from Boston on March 13th.
While neither management nor talent has confirmed her impending arrival, there have been plenty of hints.
Mercedes Mone’s first opponent in AEW might have been revealed on the March 2nd episode of Collision. On the show, Serena Deeb cut a promo talking up her ability and undefeated record since returning to AEW before referring to herself as “The Final Boss.” A reference many believe is linked to Mone.
H/t to Fightful