Why Her Signing With AEW Will Be A Mistake

Highlights

• Key takeaways:
• Mercedes Mone, formerly known as Sasha Banks in WWE, has signed with AEW after speculation about her future.
• Mone's character in WWE was glamorous and stood out due to her colorful blue hair and extravagant ring gear.
• AEW may not be the best fit for Mone's star power, as the company is filled with former WWE wrestlers and is facing declining ratings and attendance.

Anymore, there's just as much drama outside of a wrestling ring as there is inside it. A lot of it comes from the endless speculation about where a certain wrestler will sign. Is CM Punk going back to WWE? Will MJF stay with AEW? Then there's the former Sasha Banks, Mercedes Mone. Since leaving WWE in May 2022, reports haven't stopped over where she'd end up. One week she's going back to WWE, the next she's joining AEW. Meanwhile, Mone went to New Japan Wrestling and Stardom, but now her decision has been made. Reports are certain that she has already signed with AEW, and now that Tony Khan's latest major announcement was revealed to be the "Big Business" Dynamite next month in Mone's hometown of Boston, it's clear that this will be the day she debuts. She'll be great as always, but she's joining a company that's not as big as her or her character.

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Mercedes Mone's Character In WWE And Japan Has Been A Glamorous One

Sasha Banks Called Herself "The Boss" In WWE

Every wrestler has their gimmick. When Mercedes Mone was in WWE as Sasha Banks, her character was one of glitz and glamour. Whether she was a heel or a babyface, the self-christened Boss stood out from the rest of the women's division due to her colorful blue hair and extravagant ring gear. You didn't have to be a wrestling fan to look at her and know she was someone famous. If you saw her on Raw or SmackDown, you saw a movie star. In fact, she's not far off, as a successful stint on the Disney+ TV series The Mandalorian showed.

Sasha Banks didn't receive as many accolades as other Four Horsewomen members Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair. She was often frustrated, but she was still must watch due to her charismatic personality. She could be headlining WrestleMania with Bianca Belair or be stuck in bad Women's Tag Team Championship reigns, yet she still had an aura about her. That transitioned to a wrestling life outside of WWE as well, when Sasha Banks became Mercedes Mone and competed in New Japan and Stardom. It was even news when she was seen sitting in the arena for AEW All In at Wembley Stadium. It was treated like a major celebrity was in the building.

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WWE Was The Best Option For A Sasha Banks Return

Mercedes Mone's Best Friend, Bayley, Is In WWE

With that kind of aura around her, a return to WWE was the best option for Mercedes Mone. The former Sasha Banks had walked out of WWE, along with Naomi, sick of how she was booked by the company. However, things have changed drastically. Endeavor now owns WWE, Vince McMahon is gone, and John Laurinaitis, the man Mone told she was quitting before throwing her tag team title down at, has been forced out too. Triple H is in charge of creative, and under him WWE has grown. Ratings are way up, many shows sell out, and the product has become exciting again. The women's division still has some issues, but WWE is building new women's superstars like Rhea Ripley and Iyo Sky, while still showcasing the likes of Becky Lynch.

Naomi, Mone's former tag team partner, is now back in WWE after a stint in TNA Wrestling. Mone's best friend, Bayley, has seen a career resurgence, and is now a Royal Rumble winner looking to take down her former friend in Damage CTRL. WWE is on fire, the perfect place for a big star. It's the brightest possible spotlight. Imagine Mone in front of a giant WrestleMania crowd across from Rhea Ripley or Jade Cargill, or even how she would have been presented at the Las Vegas press conference. She had the chance to become the megastar she always wanted to be treated like, but she turned it down.

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Tony Khan's AEW Is Beneath Mercedes Mone's Star Power

Former WWE Wrestlers Feel Less Special In AEW

Reports have stated that WWE and Mercedes Mone couldn't come to an agreement over money. She wants to be paid just as much or more than the biggest stars in the women's division, like Charlotte Flair. Good for her for knowing her worth. When she couldn't get what she wanted, she decided to take a chance. When she debuts in AEW, she will be treated like the massive get that she is. The only problem is, how long will that last? AEW is filled with former WWE names. Tony Khan has been good at utilizing underrated WWE superstars like Swerve Strickland, Toni Storm, and Samoa Joe, but he also gets a lot of criticism for quickly getting bored with big names. It was shocking news when he scooped up iconics names like Daniel Bryan, Adam Copeland, and Saraya, but none of them feel special, like huge superstars, anymore. The luster is gone. How long before Tony Khan gets bored with Mercedes Mone as well and moves on to the next thing?

There are many great names for Mone to face in AEW. Imagine her against the likes of a returning Jamie Hayter, or Toni Storm, Kris Statlander, and others. None of these names are as big as her though. A feud with her friend Saraya might be nice, but the former Paige barely ever wrestles. She's treated like a nostalgia act. On top of that, AEW isn't in great shape. They are no longer the cool new kid. Ratings are down. Attendance is down too, with stadiums filled with empty seats, leaving Dynamite and Collision dark and often quiet. It's the opposite of who Mercedes Mone is. She'll be a big, bright fish in a small, colorless pond shrinking by the month. It's commendable that she wants the challenge, but it might be a decision she regrets.