Mercedes Mone has a major opportunity to silence doubters at Double or Nothing

AEW Double or Nothing is set for Sunday and there’s a lot to look forward to on the card. One of the big moments is Mercedes Mone taking on Willow Nightingale for the AEW TBS Championship. It’s a huge match that has the wrestling community talking for one reason or another. Regardless of where people stand on Mone, Nightingale and everything in between, this is an opportunity for Mone to silence the doubters yet again.

Mercedes Mone is a figure in professional wrestling that drives attention. That attention comes either in the form of her legions of fans, or the legions of people (typically men) that despise her every move. Her insertion at the top of AEW has received a lot of praise and criticism, making this match much more important.

It’s been more than a year since Mone was injured against Nightingale at NJPW STRONG Resurgence. This will be her first time wrestling for a major North American promotion that isn’t the WWE. There must be a ton of pressure to be in the position that she’s in. AEW hasn’t seen a ratings boost since she joined the company. The venues aren’t selling out like they were in years past. And now there are rumblings that there’s “frustration” in the locker room. None of these are Mone’s fault, but a loud contingent of AEW “fans” are ready to wrongfully point the finger in her direction.

Even with all this pressure, Mone continues to face the challenges head-on. She proved herself to be a ratings draw while in WWE. She’s done numbers for New Japan Pro Wrestling. And in each promotion, she’s put on fantastic matches. Mone is one of the best in-ring talents in wrestling, with an innate ability to tell a story from bell to bell. Willow is especially underrated in that same area. Putting these two Black women together in a situation where a large group of people are hoping to see them fail is exactly where the phrase “And still I rise” comes into play.

These women could put on a star-level match unseen before and fans would still have something to complain about when it comes to Mone. But that’s not the point. Her goal was never to obtain the adulation from a segment of the wrestling community that would never accept her. Instead, Mone continues to elevate the business in a way that is necessary. She did that with Bianca Belair. Becky Lynch talks about it in her book. Several stars throughout the industry talk about Mone and her contributions. Elevating the women’s division in AEW will be yet another one to add to the list.

Professional wrestling has a rabid fanbase. Then there’s another level when it comes to Mercedes Mone fans and haters. She’s stepping into the ring for the first time in a year, with all eyes on her and Willow Nightingale. This is a big moment for both women. A moment that should silence critics, but they’ll just move on to another nitpick. Regardless, Mone has always been money when the bell rings.