To promote this Sunday’s AEW Forbidden Door, TBS Champion Mercedes Moné sat down with BT and Sal of WFAN in New York to talk about the upcoming pay-per-view, her free agent status, and her schedule coming off a recent return.
Moné is asked about her WWE moniker Sasha Banks and her transition into no longer being referred to that.
“I love it. I love being able to go by my birth name, Mercedes. Because I’ve been wrestling for 14 years, and really 10 years in WWE, I was so used to hearing the name Sasha all the time. But, I’m not Sasha. I wasn’t born as Sasha. I don’t own the name as Sasha. So I can’t own that as a person. I can’t be that as a person. I don’t identify as her, as a person. But, Mercedes Moné went from a Legit Boss to a CEO, the boss of all bosses. This is who I was born to be. I am a CEO in my life, outside of wrestling. I’m a CEO inside of wrestling.”
Ever the opportunist, Moné talks about her role in The Mandalorian and reveals that trying to find time to film wasn’t so easy with her previous company.
“Even doing The Mandalorian was pulling teeth with the WWE to even try to get time off to film that show, so Tony (Khan) said whatever I need, if I need that private jet to go from filming in LA to coming for shows then it’s available for me.”
Before landing in AEW, Moné also revealed that many lucrative companies reached out to her, and deals were offered during her time as a free agent. One of them namely, WWE.
“WWE is WWE. And I was like do I go back? But, my heart was saying ‘Don’t go back, go forward.’ I just kept hearing that voice in my head. Keep going forward. And I’m like they keep offering me things and asking me to come back. And I’m like, Mercedes…go forward.”
She then goes on to say that it took about two years of conversations on where she wanted to be. She felt her choice was solidified when she attended AEW All In last year in London.
Moné goes on to defend her title and challenge Stephanie Vaquer for her NJPW Strong Women’s Championship at Forbidden Door. And says that Vaquer might surpass Bayley as being her favorite opponent of all time.
“We couldn’t speak the same language. But, just the universal language of wrestling, just from a lock-up alone. And you’re like…oh this girl is good.”
Lastly, to stir the pot a bit, Moné gets asked if she’s ever had bad ring chemistry with anyone. She admits to one or two unnamed individuals, who were very “dry” to work with. Carmella gets name dropped, but Moné shuts that down real quick.
“I had an amazing match with Carmella. We’ve had a great match before, we tore the house down. I’m talking about other people.”
To view the full interview check below:
