Mercedes Monè's New Japan Deal Reportedly Includes Only Three Matches
Mercedes Monè (Sasha Banks) made her debut for New Japan Pro-Wrestling back at Wrestle Kingdom 17 earlier this year. She'll challenge Kairi for the IWGP Women's Championship at the sold-out Battle in the Valley event on Feb. 18 in San Jose, marking the first time "The Boss" has wrestled a match since her WWE departure. However, it doesn't sound like Banks will be involved with New Japan for very long.
According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer, her current deal consists of just three matches — the aforementioned bout with Kairi, New Japan's Sakura Genesis on April 8 at Ryogoku Sumo Hall and Stardom's April 23 at Yokohama Arena.
"The first Mercedes match is obviously going to be in San Jose. Mercedes will be at the Sumo Hall show, which will be her first match in Japan, and I believe her second match in Japan will be on the STARDOM show at the Yokohama Arena. Those are both in April," Meltzer said (h/t WrestlingNews.co).
There was plenty of speculation that Monè would also make the jump to AEW when AEW Dynamite took place at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles a couple of weeks ago, but nothing actually materialized. However, Monè has also hinted at wrestling for numerous companies around the world as part of a "World Domination Tour."
"I've never been more excited, more nervous, which I never get nervous, but I am so ready for this," Monè said in an interview with New Japan last week. "I've been dreaming about this, I've been really really wanting this and for it to be in the United States in San Jose, California? I have so much history there. I've had the greatest matches there."
"February 18th is gonna be the same. I'm going to make sure that it is the greatest women's match of all time and when I hold up my Championship... oh cute little KAIRI, I'm gonna send her back to Japan and she can go back to STARDOM and I can be the global superstar that I'm meant to be. I'm about to take that title everywhere, not just New Japan, but everywhere," she added.
Do you think Mone will eventually pop up in AEW? Could she be back in WWE by the end of the year? Tell us your thoughts in the comments!