Mercedes Mone, a prominent name in professional wrestling, recently shared insights into her journey to joining All Elite Wrestling (AEW), revealing a fascinating shift in her plans from WWE’s WrestleMania to AEW’s “All In” event. Initially, the allure of WrestleMania in the grand SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles was strong, but an unexpected invitation to AEW’s “All In” dramatically altered her course.
Mone recounted attending a Los Angeles Rams game at SoFi Stadium, the very venue slated to host WrestleMania. Being on the field heightened her anticipation for wrestling’s biggest stage. “It was fun,” she stated, “but in the back of my head, I kept thinking, ‘This is where WrestleMania is going to be.’” The grandeur of the stadium, located in the entertainment capital of Los Angeles, fueled her desire to be part of WrestleMania. She even envisioned herself, “Snoop’s first cousin and a member of the Mandalorian cast,” gracing the event. This strong pull led her to declare to her associate, Kev, “I need to be here for Mania,” solidifying her intention to return to WWE for WrestleMania.
However, fate had other plans. Prior to “All In,” Mone received a casual invitation from Tony Khan, the president of AEW, to attend the show. Crucially, Mone emphasized that “there were no discussions of signing with AEW. Zero.” The invitation stemmed from a friendly connection, a simple text between colleagues. Her motivation to attend “All In” was purely out of her enduring passion for wrestling. Despite her established career, Mone remains a dedicated fan, stating, “To this day, when I have the time, I still watch the Indy shows. I really continue to have that much passion for it.” This love for the sport, coupled with a desire to support the wrestling community, drew her to AEW’s event.
Attending “All In” proved to be a transformative experience for Mercedes Mone. Initially intending to simply enjoy the show and support fellow wrestlers in a rival promotion, she found herself profoundly impressed by the atmosphere. Mone recognized the vital role of competition in professional wrestling, noting, “As talent, we really need additional outlets. Having only one ticket in town serves no one but that one ticket.” She astutely pointed out the benefits of competition for both wrestlers and fans, stating that a monopoly in wrestling is detrimental to everyone involved.
It was midway through “All In” that Mercedes Mone’s perspective shifted dramatically. Witnessing the energy of 80,000 “rabid and passionate fans” at an event that wasn’t WrestleMania ignited a new excitement within her. “The fact that they got 80k rabid and passionate fans to attend an event that wasn’t Mania blew me away,” she exclaimed. This palpable enthusiasm revitalized her passion for wrestling in a way she hadn’t felt in a long time. By the show’s conclusion, the experience had so profoundly impacted her that, as she admits, with her advocate Kev getting “way ahead of ourselves,” they were already conceptualizing her AEW entrance, marking the beginning of Mercedes Mone’s exciting new chapter in AEW.
