It’s Mercedes Moné‘s world, and we’re just living in it.
Moné made the most of her debut for New Japan Pro-Wrestling at Battle in the Valley this weekend in San Jose, defeating Kairi to become the new IWGP Women’s Champion. Not too shabby for her first match of any kind in nine months.
NJPW figures to lean on Moné’s star power to help it promote its efforts in women’s wrestling, which are still in their infancy — the title Moné just won has only been in existence since November. But she has more than one career iron in the fire, and many potential options in front of her going forward.
For some insight into what Moné, Under the Ring host Phil Strum spoke with her ahead of Battle in the Valley to find out what she might have her eye on during the part of her career where she’s calling her own shots.
“Like I said at my press conference at Wrestle Kingdom, I’m on my world tour,” Moné said, referring to her first appearance in NJPW in January. “I think after tomorrow night, when I successfully beat Kairi and I become the IWGP Women’s Champion, I plan to take that title absolutely everywhere, all over the world.
“So New Japan won’t be the only place that I’ll be wrestling. I plan to make this global and join any company that has the right bag for Mercedes Moné, you know?”
You can listen to the entire interview with Moné below:
One place Moné should definitely be appearing is in Stardom, NJPW’s women-only sister promotion. She made reference during her Under the Ring visit to working in Japan in April, with Dave Meltzer reporting on Wrestling Observer Radio that she is expected to compete there for the first time April 8.
One thing that’s clear is that she certainly seems invigorated for this next phase of her career, and that fans will be watching to see wherever she might turn up.
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