Mercedes Moné Addresses Travel Issues, Why She Missed AEW Dynamite

Mercedes Moné hasn’t competed on AEW programming since back at the Worlds End 2024 PPV when she successfully defended the TBS Championship against Kris Statlander, and hasn’t been seen in any capacity since her victory over Mina Shirakawa at the Wrestle Dynasty PPV on January 5, where she won the RevPro Undisputed British Title. 

Moné was originally planned for the January 8 episode of AEW Dynamite at the F&M Bank Arena in Clarksville, Tennessee but she never ended up appearing. In the latest edition of Moné Mag, the CEO explained that travel issues halted her from appearing on Dynamite as she struggled to make her way back to the US from Japan. 

“My travel saga from hell! I was just coming off the high of Wrestle Dynasty in Japan—seriously, it was a dream! I didn't want to leave, but alas, duty calls. I had to get back to the USA to wrestle on Dynamite, and that's when my travel nightmare began.

So there I was, all packed up and ready to jet off. My flight was set to leave at 5 PM, bringing me back home by Monday morning. I rolled into the airport at 2 PM, ready to breeze through Japan's legendary customs. But just as I settled into my seat, the captain said, "Uh, folks, we've got a little maintenance issue. We'll be taking off in about 30 minutes.” Well, 30 minutes turned into 4 hours of pure chaos on that plane! Imagine me pacing the aisle like I'm about to make a big entrance, listening to the flight attendants flip-flopping between "Please remain seated" and "Actually, everyone, we need you to deplane." Now, I'm no stranger to travel woes, but I had a hard deadline—school on Tuesday night! If I missed it, they would fail me. 

“So, I was on a mission to get home! Finally, after what felt like an eternity, they tell us we need to switch planes. Cue the storm outside and my fellow passengers' collective eruption of frustration. It's like a scene from a movie—people were fuming! But honestly, I just wanted to yell, "Breathe, people! We're all in this together!" But hey, I get it; no one likes being stuck, especially with a weather tantrum going on.

“After another hour of waiting and a text —my flight was canceled! I called my travel agency, and they said, "We have ONE seat left." I snagged that seat to Chicago, but my bags? Yeah, they were going to be fashionably stuck in Japan until the next flight to Orlando. But whatever, I was determined to get back to the US and make it to class and AEW Dynamite on time. So, I hopped on that plane, and of course, we hit the worst turbulence ever! But finally, after what felt like a lifetime, I landed in Chicago late at night, only to be rebooked for a flight to Orlando the next day. After I let Tony (Khan) know about my travel struggles and not having my bags in time for TV, he graciously told me to rest. I'm so thankful because my body and mind needed it.

“And guess what? I made it to class just in time. So, there you have it, folks—my travel saga. I may have faced a storm, missed my bags, and dealt with some cranky travelers, but nothing can keep me down!”

Moné has yet to re-emerge on AEW programming, with the next steps for the reigning TBS Champion currently unclear. The CEO also recently revealed that she suffered a panic attack prior to her Wrestle Dynasty appearance.

H/T Fightful 

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