There’s been a major update in the news regarding Mercedes Moné’s future.
Mercedes Moné has been absent from in-ring action since injuring her ankle during her match with Willow Nightingale to crown the inaugural NJPW STRONG Women’s Championship on May 21st at Resurgence. During that time, the former IWGP Women’s Champion’s future has become increasingly unclear, with no dates currently set in Japan, whilst a long-rumoured AEW appearance is yet to materialise.
As a result, many fans began to speculate that Moné could be set to return to WWE, with multiple teases from both Mercedes herself and talent such as Bayley adding fuel to the fire. Fightful Select, however, have now provided an update on the situation, revealing that negotiations between the two sides have broken down.
“Top free agent Mercedes Mone aka Sasha Banks and WWE had been engaged in conversations to possibly bring her back to the company. However, WWE sources stated to Fightful Friday night that the two sides are no longer in active negotiations regarding a return. The two sides had recently been engaged in conversations about a return. We’re told the dialogue was friendly, the back and forth failed to progress, and WWE sources claim that their side walked as a result of it.”
-Fightful Select
The report additionally notes that another WWE source believed that she would end up appearing elsewhere imminently, although they were unable to specify where. AEW’s inaugural Worlds End show will air later today, NJPW’s Wrestle Kingdom 18 is just a week away, and IMPACT’s rebranding to TNA at Hard to Kill is in two weeks, and thus there are a number of potential landing spots should the source be correct.
Fightful also noted that, as of August, they’d been told that there was a working plan for Mercedes to come to AEW, although this particular plan was no longer happening as of earlier this month.
Furthermore, New Japan Pro Wrestling were believed to be hopeful of maintaining a positive relationship with Moné and hoped to talk with her in recent months.
Fightful Select closed out their report by noting that, as of mid-December, all options outside of WWE are now back on the table for the former Sasha Bansk, and thus only time will tell before ‘The CEO’ makes her next move.
As always, we’ll aim to provide any further updates on the future of Mercedes Moné as soon as we hear more.
