Mercedes Mone Expected to Make Huge Character U-Turn After AEW Failure, New Role Explained

Since March, Mercedes Mone has been part of AEW after a brief stint in NJPW. This meant a great signing for the women’s division of Tony Khan’s company. However, the former WWE Superstar hasn’t wrestled in the ring yet. But Mone is all set to face Willow Nightingale for the TBS Championship at Double or Nothing 2024, the next pay-per-view of All Elite Wrestling.

The pay-per-view event in St. Louis, Missouri, saw Willow Nightingale take the win over Julia Hart. Taking away the TV title that the latter held for more than 150 days. As soon as the new champion was crowned, The CEO appeared to remind her of the challenge she had agreed to. A pay-per-view fight in Las Vegas. But fans are still not convinced as the CEO is yet to have a proper gimmick. But it seems like what AEW is aiming for is a face change. They might plan and initiate a new run as a heel for the AEW star.

AEW set to turn the CEO into a heel

In the latest edition of the Busted Open Podcast, Dave LaGreca, Tommy Dreamer and Bully Ray talked about the current storylines surrounding AEW. And if we talk about AEW, we have to mention Mercedes Mone. Everyone was awaiting her arrival. However, it seemed like the momentum and the hype that she had amassed were deteriorating. Even the podcast hosts believed that while they are excited to see Mone in AEW, there is no proper creative direction yet. But since Nightingale is a baby face, it seems like Mone might turn heel soon.

They said, “The match I’m most looking forward to is Willow, Nightingale, and Mercedes. And one of the big reasons is I don’t know what they’re doing with Mercedes. I would have to think we’re going to get some kind of heel Mercedes coming into double or nothing or coming out of double or nothing. Don’t think Mercedes is really given you a reason to get behind her and cheer for her other than the fact that she used to be Sasha Banks in the WWE. I mean, what has Mercedes done on AEW television and programming to get you to rally behind her?”

They further added, “Another example is who she’s facing at Double or Nothing and that’s Willow Nightingale who’s an Uber baby face with AEW. Now, there’s a good story going into whole ankle injury with Mercedes. And how she was on the shelf for you know, pretty much a year because of that ankle injury and her blaming Willow Nightingale for it.”

The former WWE and NJPW champion, Mone, did mention having unfinished business with Willow. The first confrontation between the two is well remembered by fans. It was an epic match back in New Japan Pro-Wrestling. In that bout, Nightingale won the STRONG Openweight Women’s Championship. While her opponent suffered a leg injury, that took a full year to recover.

The first time the warriors took to battle

At NJPW Resurgence, Mercedes Mone, Stephanie Vaque, Willow Nightingale, and Momo Kohgo met to compete in the tournament to determine the first NJPW STRONG Women’s Champion. After Mone defeated Vaque and Willow defeated Kohgo, the winners met in the grand final.

After an intense match, Willow Nightingale was the one who finally beat Mone. Thus becoming the first NJPW STRONG Women’s Champion when few people expected it. Willow celebrated the victory with great enthusiasm after the match and thus ended the event. While Mone suffered an injury that caused the match to end earlier than planned. Now it would be fun to see if Mone manages to take her revenge. AEW Double or Nothing 2024 will take place on Sunday, May 26. It will be held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Paradise, just a few miles from Las Vegas, Nevada.