This year’s WrestleKingdom 17 saw Mercedes Mone, formerly Sasha Banks, debut in New Japan. This came five months after she infamously walked out of Monday Night Raw alongside Naomi following a disagreement over the direction of the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship. Many fans are now salivating over potential matchups Mercedes can set up with some of Stardom’s best wrestlers under the NJPW banner.
After Mercedes debuted in NJPW, there was reports that she was on the biggest per-appearance deal in company history, meaning she would have been making more than Chris Jericho in the late 2010’s when he was over in NJPW having notable matches with top stars such as Kenny Omega, Tetsuya Naito, Kazuchika Okada & More.
However, in an update from Dave Meltzer in the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, this is not the case and the money she is making in NJPW is not even close to what Jericho was.
“The story that was going around that Mercedes Mone was making more than Chris Jericho made here is incorrect. It’s not even close. The money is not at the level she could get with WWE or AEW.”
-WON.
Mercedes has already made it clear that she’s excited to work with some of Japan’s best during her time there. She is set to face Kairi on February 18 at NJPW Battle In The Valley over the IWGP Women’s Championship.
