Bayley Weighs In On Mercedes Mone's Move To AEW

The friendship between Bayley and Mercedes Mone stretches back over a decade, and now also over two different companies. While Bayley resides as WWE Women's Champion, Mone recently claimed the TBS Championship in All Elite Wrestling. Despite these veering professional paths, Bayley assures that she and Mone, who previously served as WWE Women's Tag Team Champions, will continue to root for one another.

"I'm so excited to see her take [her career] to the next level," Bayley told Denise Salcedo. "As much as I miss having her here, wrestling to me still feels weird without her, but it's like I have her in a different way where I can tell her what's going on here and what I need to help with and what I'm trying to do to make it better over here. The same goes for her. So it's kind of nice that we're able to help and grow in two different companies, and separately. I think, in a way, it's kind of better. I'm so proud of her just for taking that leap and taking a chance on herself. She has so much to offer the world. There's just so much more that she's going to be able to do."

Mone's arrival to AEW comes two years after she, and Naomi, famously walked out of WWE ahead of a May 2022 episode of "WWE Raw." Following her exit from WWE, Mone notably worked with STARDOM and New Japan Pro-Wrestling, where she briefly reigned as the IWGP Women's Champion. An ankle injury later kept Mone out of the ring for nearly a year before she returned to action at the 2024 AEW Double or Nothing pay-per-view, and won the TBS Championship.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit Denise Salcedo with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.