There’s always a lot of online chatter about Mercedes Mone. On one hand, her legions of fans shower her with praise every step of the way. On the other hand, disingenuous detractors look for any bit of space to levy complaints about everything she does. One of the biggest debates online now about her surrounds the multiple titles around her waist. While some claim it is pointless and devalues the titles she has, they do so by completely missing the point of the story.
When Mercedes Mone joined All Elite Wrestling, many expected her to quickly ascend to the World Championship. However, she went another route by capturing the TBS Championship. She’s smashed Jade Cargill’s title run and defeated several top names along the way. But what hasn’t she been able to do? That is capturing the AEW Women’s World Championship. That is the story AEW is attempting to tell with this iteration of “The Belt Collector.”
One of the biggest complaints about Mone’s run in WWE was that when she was placed in “big” opportunities, she would rarely win. Whether it was losing to Charlotte Flair in main events, losing to Ronda Rousey, or even losing to Bianca Belair at WrestleMania – Mercedes Mone (then known as Sasha Banks) typically lost when the lights shone the brightest.
Take that history and place it against what is happening in 2025. Mercedes Mone is traveling the world, picking up title after title. But when she stood across from Toni Storm at AEW All In 2025, she took the L. Now, she’s poking the bear that is Kris Statlander. She may have defeated Statlander at AEW Worlds End 2024 and Full Gear that same year, but she will not defeat Statlander for the world title. Count on it. Why? Because this is the story that Mercedes Mone is attempting to tell.
Kris Statlander is going to beat Mercedes Mone and send the “CEO” into one of the biggest character spirals we’ve seen in wrestling. Character work in wrestling is one of her best skills, and this is going to be the opportunity to truly let her spread her wings as she tells this story and that eventual redemption. Will Mone eventually become AEW Women’s World Champion? Of course, but to get there, she’s going to have to lose everything that she’s won, experience some form of humbling, and claw her way back to the title. The fans will be there to support her every step of the way and celebrate when she does finally hold that title over her head. That’s the story, and acting as if there isn’t anything interesting about that is obtuse.
Mercedes Mone is one of the best professional wrestlers in the world today. She’s excelling in her role and pushing women’s wrestling in the right direction. Not only for AEW, but for the entire business. Enjoy what she’s doing in AEW, and buckle up, because there’s a story unfolding right before the eyes of everyone watching.