Mercedes Mone, who was known as Sasha Banks during her WWE run, is expected to make her AEW debut on the March 13 episode of Dynamite (which has been dubbed "Big Business" in an obvious nod to The Boss).
The hope among many fans was that Mone might return to WWE; unfortunately, it appears the two sides couldn't agree on money and with Tony Khan willing to throw as much cash as possible at talent he's a fan of, The Mandalorian star heading to AEW was inevitable.
Mone walked out of WWE alongside Naomi in 2022 due to creative differences over the Women's Tag Team Championships with disgraced former WWE Chairman Vince McMahon.
She's since performed in New Japan Wrestling and, during a recent interview, was asked about her decision to leave WWE two years ago.
"That's a big question. That's a big, big question. I really believe in, not only the universe, but I believe in myself and a higher power of light that comes over me. Something inside of me told me that I needed to go do this and stand up for myself. It was a very hard decision because wrestling in WWE has been my whole life. People don't know, it's been my whole life. It's the hardest decision I've ever had to make in my whole life, but it's the proudest. It's crazy, because I would not be sitting here, living the best version of my life and getting to be everything I've ever dreamt of, and more."
"It makes me so excited because that moment changed my whole life for the better. I'm so thankful for that moment. I'm so proud of myself. I'm so proud of Trinity, of just how strong we were. Everybody wanted to talk about it. Everybody wanted to act like they were in the room. Everybody acted like they were in the room, or worked there, or were backstage, or knew what happened, or knew what was said."
"All I know is that I handled it like a CEO, like the boss that I am, with my head held high. I can't say anything but amazing things to WWE. I'm so thankful to the career they gave me, the fans they gave me, the life they gave me. The dreams that they gave me. So many dreams. I got to chase and live them all. I get to do so much more. I have a lot of unfinished business in wrestling in a lot of places."
It's a shame to think Mone is done with WWE, but it appears they have very different ideas about her place in pro wrestling. With the company's women's division now pretty stacked, it's also hard to say where she'd fit in.
However, in AEW (where the women's division is seriously lacking), Mone can make a major difference and perhaps even turn things around...