AEW has promoted so many “big” or “important” announcements from Tony Khan over its existence that they’ve nearly reached the level of self-parody, even though his track record of avoiding hyperbole is actually better than you might remember. Securing the services of the hottest free agent in women’s wrestling would qualify as a big announcement by anyone’s reckoning, and that just might be what’s in store for the next episode of AEW Dynamite.
The announcement is a sure thing since it was promoted this week. And for those of you who guessed it was about Mercedes Moné, that looks increasingly likely.
Both Fightful Select (subscription required) and Mat Men Radio’s Andrew Zarian, who have reported all along that Moné was headed to AEW, now say that she’s expected to start with the company in March. Fightful couldn’t confirm that the announcement would be about her signing, so perhaps no “Mercedes Moné is All Elite” graphic is coming, but she’s on the way.
From Fightful:
However, what we have heard from numerous talent is that they’ve been told within the company and from those close to Mercedes that the working plan in All Elite Wrestling is for her to physically appear for the company in March, likely after the Revolution PPV.
It might be a little longer until we see the former Sasha Banks actually compete in an AEW ring. Moné hasn’t wrestled since May 21 of last year, when she suffered a serious ankle injury facing Willow Nightingale on a NJPW STRONG card in Long Beach.
Moné’s contract with Bushiroad, the parent company of NJPW and STARDOM, has since expired, leaving her free to sign elsewhere. That’s led to plenty of hope from WWE fans that she would return as Banks — including some who were convinced she’d appear at last month’s Royal Rumble in St. Petersburg — but that didn’t happen, and AEW appears to have secured her services.
That can only help a company that has had plenty of women’s wrestling talent on its roster but often seems stumped as to the best way to showcase it. One thing’s for sure: Moné isn’t coming cheap, so it would behoove AEW to present her as the major star she is.
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