Mercedes Moné To WWE No Longer In Cards?
Rumored return for former Sasha Banks evaporates, could appear elsewhere 'imminently.'
WWE fans hoping to see Sasha Banks back in the fold in time for Royal Rumble and WrestleMania season are apparently going to have to wait longer.
Fightful Select reports that talks between the sports entertainment juggernaut and Mercedes Moné "fell apart," according to WWE sources. The two sides had been discussing a return to the company, but sources told Fightful Friday that they are "no longer in active negotiations" about bringing Mercedes back.
Reportedly, Moné and WWE had been engaged in a friendly dialogue, but those conversations didn't progress, and the company walked. A WWE source believes Moné could end up appearing in another promotion "imminently" without stating where to superstar free agent could land. AEW's World's End PPV is set for Saturday night, while NJPW's Wrestle Kingdom takes place next week, and TNA Wrestling's Hard to Kill PPV is shortly after that.
The collapsed WWE talks come on the heels of several perceived social media teases, including Moné Instagram stories with WWE references and a Christmas Eve X post that had everyone seeing "Triple H."
HappyHappyHolidaysAll I want for Christmas is Moné ? pic.twitter.com/CevdmhJalA
Advertisement— Mercedes Moné Varnado (@MercedesVarnado) December 24, 2023
The former Sasha Banks famously walked out of WWE in May 2022 alongside fellow then-WWE Women's Tag Team Champion Naomi, relinquishing their titles. They were eventually released, with Mercedes turning up in New Japan and defeating Kairi Sane for the IWGP Women's Championship. In May 2023, she severely injured her ankle at NJPW's Resurgence in the finals to crown the inaugural Strong Women's Champion. She has not wrestled since.
Moné turned up at AEW's All In PPV this summer. Fightful indicated there was a working plan for her to come to All Elite, but by early December, those plans hadn't come to fruition. Reportedly, all options outside WWE were back on the table as of mid-December.