In the latest episode of his podcast “Extreme Life,” Matt Hardy shed light on the career journey of Mercedes Mone post-WWE along with how wrestlers navigate the space of online criticism.
Below are some notable points from the podcast episode:
Discussing how wrestlers grapple with online criticism: “Hardy expressed how it’s challenging to ignore the online criticisms. With platforms such as Twitter, narratives can easily start forming and people tend to go along with it. Whether or not a wrestler decides to listen to the criticism, he believes, largely depends on who they’re conversing with, who they work for, and whose opinions they value. If there is any suggestion of a need for change or evolution in their wrestling style or character, they may consider it. He added that, as it’s easy to become stagnant, it’s necessary to refresh and explore different directions.”
Reflecting on Mercedes Mone’s journey post-WWE: “According to Hardy, Sasha Banks — Mercedes Mone — is a product of WWE, having been born and molded in that environment. Her initial wrestling training ingrained a character-oriented instinct in her. This process at WWE involves carving out a character that emotionally engages with the audience, followed by demonstration of their wrestling abilities. However, Hardy contrasts this with AEW, echoed by Tony Khan’s promotion of his product that tailors to a niche market that prioritizes the quality of wrestling over stories and characters. Hardy speculates that transitioning from this character-focused environment to the wrestling-centric AEW might be a new experience for Mone, but he believes she is finding her way as things unfold. He notes that initially, Mone may have realized that the character mystique could be toned down in favor of enhancing wresting skills to better resonate with AEW audience.”