Sasha Banks set the professional wrestling world on fire this week when she officially arrived in New Japan Pro Wrestling. Renamed Mercedes Monè, former WWE Women’s Champion confronted IWGP Women’s Champion Kairi at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17, putting her down before issuing a title match challenge. Shortly after Wrestle Kingdomthe match was made official: Monè vs. Kairi for the IWGP Women’s Championship op NJPW Battle in the Valley on February 18. This will be an upcoming stop on the “world domination tour” that Monè teased during the Wrestle Kingdom press conference.
“I’m Mercedes Monè. I’m the CEO of New Japan and the women’s division of Stardom, and this is only my first stop because I’m on a world domination tour,” said Monè. “I know everyone is so jealous of Japan. You are so lucky that I am the first.”
That “world domination tour” is still rolling out its halt, but it looks like Stamford, Connecticut isn’t on the schedule. WWE has quiet moved Monè’s profile to the alumni section of the schedule page. Monè had walked away from WWE in May 2022, but this is the first time she has migrated from WWE’s active roster.
Naomi, her tag partner at the time, joined Monè on that strike in May 2022. That being said, Naomi is still listed as a member of the WWE SmackDown schedule. It was recently reported that the belief is that Naomi will be back with WWE.
Although Monè’s virtual profile is currently in the alumni section, it was reported by the Struggling Observer that WWE thinks “she’ll be back at some point”, and that this New Japan run is only temporary. It was added that WWE is “very strongly under the impression” that Monè will not wrestle for AEW.
Hopes for Monè’s AEW arrival hit a roadblock AEW dynamite earlier this week, when Saraya officially announced her mystery tag partner Toni Storm. Fans had speculated that Monè would fill that position, given the weeks of hype surrounding the mystery and Dr. Britt Baker DMD’s “I’m the boss” tease on AEW TV. The current theories are that Storm is little more than a red herring and that Monè will eventually tag with Saraya anyway.
Stay tuned to ComicBook.com for updates on Monè’s professional wrestling future.
