WRESTLING NEWS
Mercedes Mone Should Have Gone Back To WWE
By KIERAN FISHER
In 2022, Mercedes Mone, formerly known as Sasha Banks, walked out of an episode of “WWE Raw” after a reported difference in opinion with management. She has since followed her dreams and gone on to wrestle in Japanese companies like NJPW and STARDOM, but leaving the WWE may have been a step down for a star of her caliber.
Mercedes Mone’s NJPW debut felt like a big deal, as NJPW World reportedly gained 25,000 more subscribers, and Battle in the Valley sold out after her match with KAIRI was confirmed. However, while NJPW is getting better at integrating more women’s wrestling into the product, it remains to be seen if female competitors will ever be given top billing at major shows.
In 2022, Triple H told Ariel Helwani that he hopes to see Sasha Banks back in WWE one day: “She is, I think as you’ve seen over the course of her career ... just an unbelievable performer that I believe in with everything that I have.” Mone’s early NJPW promos have indicated that she’s a sports entertainer in a strong style world, which makes her a perfect fit for WWE.