Everything You Need To Know About AEW Signing Mercedes Moné

As expected, Mercedes Moné officially became All Elite at AEW Big Business, an episode of Dynamite which emanated from the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. 

Moné's debut opened the show and she cut a promo thanking the fans and noting that she needed to be in AEW and wanted to be a part of the promotion. Moné then brought up the main event of Willow Nightingale vs. Riho, noting that she had unfinished business with Nightingale. This played into the final moments of Big Business as Moné laid out Julia Hart and Skye Blue, making the save for Nightingale in the process. The two talents then stood tall to end Dynamite. 

Mercedes Moné had been expected to land in All Elite Wrestling and Fightful Select has reported that Moné has been on AEW's payroll for well over two months and a deal between the two parties was effectively agreed to in December 2023. Moné's deal is believed to be a multi-year contract. 

Moné's eventual debut was ultimately a long-running saga and there was an understanding all the way back at All In 2023 that the two sides would work together, with Moné being shown in the crowd at the Wembley Stadium show. Moné suffered an almost career-ending injury back in May 2023 in a match for the NJPW STRONG Women's Title against Willow Nightingale and Tony Khan didn't debut her post-All In as he simply didn't want Moné to appear in AEW in a walking boot or on crutches.

By early December 2023, AEW and Moné were no longer planning to work together and they were far apart on terms. Moné by this point had restarted talks over potentially going back to WWE but she could not come to terms with the TKO-owned organisation either. The talks with WWE were said to be friendly and they wished her luck with her future endeavours. 

By late December, the deal with All Elite Wrestling was effectively done and discussions were underway about her debut in the first week of January. The January 3 and January 10 episodes of Dynamite were considered but Moné at this point was nowhere close to being medically cleared. By January 4, the plan was in place for AEW to debut Moné at a show in Boston called Big Business.

As part of Moné's AEW deal, New Japan Pro-Wrestling are under the impression they will be able to continue working with Mercedes "in a big way." AEW will be Moné's priority, though. 

Mercedes Moné was previously a part of WWE from 2012 until she walked out of the company in 2022. She performed as Sasha Banks and established herself as one of the top stars in the women's division as one of the Four Horsewomen of WWE. Moné made her NJPW debut in January 2023 at Wrestle Kingdom and she wrestled for New Japan until sustaining the aforementioned serious injury in May.