Original WWE Plans For Bayley Revealed, Was Mercedes Mone Involved?

Was WWE making plans for Mercedes Mone’s return?

When Mercedes Mone appeared in the crowd at AEW All In, her signing with the company appeared a formality. However, negotiations went cold and she held talks with WWE although these discussions also fell apart. Eventually, Mercedes Mone did become All Elite, making her debut at Dynamite Big Business on March 13th.

While Mone was thought to be a free agent, in WWE Bayley was being kicked out of Damage CTRL and needing backup. This sparked speculation that Mone could have been the woman to come to her real-life best friend’s aid.

Although things went on to play out very differently, for many fans the question has remained, did WWE have plans for Mercedes Mone?

According to a new report from Fightful Select, the Damage CTRL split was planned months in advance, and at no point was Mone expected or planned to be involved. Instead, WWE’s creative actually team wanted Charlotte Flair to link back up with her fellow Horsewoman. However, when Flair suffered a nasty knee injury, those plans went out of the window.

A WWE source admitted that the company signing Mone could have changed things, but she wasn’t involved in the working plan, and “things didn’t get far enough for advanced creative pitches.”

Bayley will challenge IYO SKY for the Women’s Title at WrestleMania 40.

Mercedes Mone To Make AEW In-Ring Debut

On the April 3rd episode of AEW Dynamite, Mercedes Mone said she would challenge the TBS Champion at Double or Nothing on May 26th. At Dynasty on April 21st, Julia Hart is scheduled to defend the gold against Willow Nightingale.

Mone hasn’t wrestled since breaking her ankle in a match against Nightingale in May 2023.