During an interview on the renowned “Breakfast Club” program, Mercedes Mone, AEW TBS Champion, reflected on the defining turning point in her professional life when she broke ties with WWE.
Mone, together with Naomi, ended their association with WWE in May 2022 following a falling out with the then-CEO, Vince McMahon. This incident led to both of them losing their seats as the Women’s Tag Team Champions.
After her official release was sanctioned, Mone moved to NJPW in January 2023, where she debuted at the illustrious Wrestle Kingdom 17 event on January 4, 2023. The subsequent year, she inked a contract with AEW.
Reflecting on her exit, Mone admitted, “I left for many different reasons. A lot of personal stuff happened with myself and the Chairman [McMahon] at the time. I didn’t like how he talked to me and how I was talked down to. I was like, you know what, ‘It’s time to legitimate listen to your soul and your heart. There was a light that came to me one day, and I just quit WWE.”
Upon being quizzed about McMahon’s purported disrespect towards her, Mone elaborated, “Absolutely, it was pretty insane. That day, he conversed with me in an utterly rude manner. It was a moment that gave me clarity that it wouldn’t be alright if I remained. I thought to myself, ‘If I endure this, it is not acceptable for the future. What precedent would I be setting for my offspring and others if I allowed myself to experience this feeling after being here for a decade? I have to stand my ground.’ That’s precisely what I did. It felt like a burst of enlightenment came over me, the same enlightenment that guided me when I was a mere 10-year-old, assuring me, ‘This is your destiny, this is what you are meant to do.’ Yet again, light found its way to me, urging me to step away and aspire for something higher for my own sake.”
Watch the full interview of Mercedes Mone discussing about AEW Grand Slam, her position as the highest-paid champion in AEW, her interests in celebrity wrestling and more here. [Embedded Video]