WWE HOFer Trish Stratus Reflects On Would-Be Match With AEW's Mercedes Mone

Trish Stratus might have officially retired in 2006, but the WWE Hall of Famer has proven that she can still hang with the modern crop of WWE's female wrestlers. She has competed in Royal Rumble matches, wrestled on the first and only all-female WWE pay-per-view, Evolution, and her 2023 run saw her feud extensively with Becky Lynch, culminating in a Steel Cage match that Stratus is incredibly proud of. 

However, she never had a singles match with Sasha Banks, now known as Mercedes Mone in AEW, and during a recent interview with "Sports Illustrated," Stratus explained why.

"I think it didn't come because I really think people never thought I'd ever come back for another match like after the Royal Rumble," Stratus said. "To think of, like, 'Can she come back after however many years to do a match like, what, 17 years after my retirement or whatever the crazy number is? Which is while still, but then, you know, then she left." 

Stratus and Mone had a brief interaction in the first-ever women's Royal Rumble match in 2018, and were tag team partners on an episode of "WWE Raw" later that year. While she faced fellow members of the Four Horsewomen, like Lynch and Charlotte Flair, Stratus's singles match with Mone never materialized. Now that Mone is part of AEW, Stratus was asked if the long-awaited dream match could happen if the right offer came in. Stratus shot down those rumors, pledging her loyalty to WWE. 

"I'm WWE, I really am a WWE girl all the way. But you never know, who knows? Whenever, there's so much more life to have and be had," said the WWE legend.

Please credit "Sports Illustrated" when using quotes from this article, and give a H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.