Mercedes Moné: “I Turned Down a 5-Year WWE Deal”—Reason Why She Walked Away & Joined AEW
Mercedes Moné has set the record straight on her 2022 WWE exit appearing on Marking Out With MVP & Dwayne Swayze—and it wasn’t about the money. Speaking on the Marking Out podcast, the former Sasha Banks said she rejected a five-year offer because the spark was gone.
“They were offering me a five-year deal, and at that point, I just… I wasn’t happy anymore. I had lost my passion for wrestling.” - Mercedes Moné
That loss of passion, paired with creative frustrations, led Moné and Naomi to walk out in May 2022. WWE blasted the pair as “unprofessional” on TV and stripped them of the Women’s Tag Team Titles. Moné wasn’t looking for a bigger check—she was looking for freedom.
“I asked for my release so that I could go to New Japan, and it reinvigorated my love for wrestling again,” she said. The move paid off fast: Moné debuted at Wrestle Kingdom, then defeated KAIRI to win the IWGP Women’s Title. Today, she’s thriving in AEW as TBS Champion, with a resume that spans multiple promotions and validates the gamble she took three years ago.
🗣️ Wrestling.news | Backstage Take
Moné’s story is a case study in betting on yourself. Turning down a five-year WWE deal is rare air, but the calculus checks out: creative control, global branding, and fresh matchups across Japan and AEW. By proving she can draw outside WWE and win major gold—Moné’s leverage is at an all-time high. If a WWE return ever happens, it’ll be on terms she sets. Until then, AEW has a top-of-the-card star who moves tickets, trends, and merch.
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