Did AEW Tease Mercedes Moné's Debut on Dynamite?

By Liam Crowley

Mercedes Moné has been an arm's length away from AEW since she returned to wrestling this past January. The former Sasha Banks ended her seven month hiatus from the ring when she showed up at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17, confronting IWGP Women's Champion KAIRI and challenging the inaugural titleholder to a championship match down the line. It wouldn't take long for Moné to be draped in gold as she defeated KAIRI for the prize just six weeks later. After just one successful defense, Moné dropped the title to Mayu Iwatani, leaving many to question her New Japan future.

It appeared that Moné had a renewed purpose in the Far East's premier promotion when she was added to the NJPW STRONG Women's Title tournament this past weekend at NJPW STRONG Resurgence. Moné made it to the finals of that bracket but was defeated by AEW's Willow Nightingale. Reports then emerged that Moné was scheduled to win the tournament but a late match ankle injury forced The Boss to call an audible.

This past Wednesday on AEW Dynamite, Nightingale appeared in a pre-recorded segment showcasing highlights from her championship victory. Within that package were clear shots of Moné, and Nightingale even referred to her opponent by name.

While this might not seem like much, it is worth noting that AEW has edited around wrestlers that they did not want to showcase in the past. During the lead up to the AEW World Title tournament at AEW Grand Slam 2022, promo packages showed footage from Jon Moxley's title loss at AEW All Out 2022 but omitted any and all frames of CM Punk.

In the past, AEW President Tony Khan has danced around questions surrounding Moné, strictly praising her talents and neglecting to directly speak on whether AEW has had conversations with her or not. Giving her a clear spot on AEW Dynamite, even in just pre-recorded footage, is a pretty good indicator that AEW is interested in utilizing Moné in any capacity.

While Moné is spending most of her "world domination tour" in New Japan, there is a direct link from that company to AEW coming up shortly. AEW and NJPW will combine forces once again for AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door next month. Moné's injury could prevent her from competing at that show, but an on-screen appearance could still be in the cards.

Stay tuned to ComicBook.com for updates on Moné's recovery and her AEW status.

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