During the post-show media scrum for AEW Dynasty, CEO Tony Khan was asked about the status of Mercedes Mone. Mone hasn’t wrestled since last year after a foot injury and will make her in-ring debut at Double or Nothing. She will challenge Willow Nightingale for the TBS Championship. Here are highlights:
On if Mercedes Mone is cleared to wrestle right now: “She’ll be cleared at Double or Nothing for the singles match. That was a big part of this, knowing that it’s been a major road for her to return from the injury. Big Business, we did a great crowd in Boston. It was a great crowd last year in Boston. We drew even more fans this year for Big Business and really stepped up. I think her presence was a huge part of that and it was great to have that moment but also start building up some real excitement around the championship, some real excitement around AEW. To have a top free agent arrive on the big stage like that on Dynamite in the TD Garden in Mercedes’ hometown, got a great reaction and I think it’s built a lot of excitement. Now we know Mercedes is going to challenge for the TBS title. Like Willow said, she’s going to be an active champion. We do know Mercedes has been out about a year. When she wrestles at Double or Nothing, it will be a full year since she last wrestled, and against Willow. She blames Willow for causing this injury and really they’ve been butting heads since Mercedes arrived. There are a lot of variables here. We’ve seen backstage attacks, assailants and Willow has said she’s going to be a fighting champion so there could be more matches before. But we know Mercedes will be cleared for later in May, just a little over a month from now, Double or Nothing. I’m really for it. For Mercedes to come here, she’s one of the most decorated champions in wrestling.
On outsiders challenging for titles: “I think for her to walk in, somebody with one of the best resumes of any champion in the sport, to come in and challenge, it makes a lot of sense. For the TBS and TNT championships we’ve had outsiders come in…it’s a little different than the top 5 rankings criteria around the world championship or the world tag team championship or the world women’s championship.”
On the history of Mercedes vs. Willow: “I definitely think what we’ve seen with Mercedes in her career…she’s one of the best big match spotlight wrestlers in the sport. When she was wrestling Willow last time, fact is, she got hurt and she’s been out a year going into this match. Willow has really stepped up in that time. Willow is the TBS champion, she’s gonna be an active TBS champion. If she’s still the TBS champion going into Double or Nothing, she’ll go in not only the TBS champion but the reigning Owen Hart Foundation cup winner and the last person to beat, wrestle and the last person to put Mercedes Mone on the sidelines, all of the above. A lot of excitement around the match, so she will be cleared for Double or Nothing, for sure.”
If you use any quotes from this article, please credit AEW with an h/t to 411mania.
