Mercedes Mone Confirms How Long She's Trained For NJPW Debut

Mercedes Moné, formerly known as Sasha Banks in WWE, is undeniably one of the most recognizable wrestlers on the planet. She has landed acting gigs with major franchises like Star Wars, appeared at New York Fashion Week and recently debuted in Japan's most popular wrestling company, New Japan Pro-Wrestling, where she will face the current IWGP Women's Champion, KAIRI, at the Battle in the Valley event on February 18, 2023. 

In a new interview with NJPW, Moné reacted to the fact that this will be her first televised match in nine months. "Right? It's like a little baby," Moné said with a laugh. 

But how is this new version of Moné elevated from her former Sasha Banks persona? "I think you can already see from my name alone, it's an evolution. I'm not a boss anymore, I'm a CEO. I'm going to run every division that I step foot in. I've been training for this match since October, and on top of my 12 years experience already."

With so much time dedicated to preparation, Banks assured fans that she's bringing new offense to the table to complement the revamped attitude. She admits that she's even excited about what might be executed during the anticipated match. "There's a whole new excitement and love for pro-wrestling here. It's different dreams, different everything. This is something that you haven't seen before because it is the first match for Mercedes Moné, but it's also the kickstart to my year. A whole new chapter of more awards, more trophies, more 'first-time evers. Just a year of being the best! It's going to be the year of Mercedes Moné, and it'll be kickstarted by the greatest match of all time in San Jose."