Backstage Speculation On The Wrestling Status Of Mercedes Mone

Mercedes Mone's next move in pro wrestling has been a hotly debated topic for quite some time. According to the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Mercedes' injury upset the original plans for Giulia, and some in WWE still have hope that she'll return. Per WON's report, Guilia's contract with STARDOM expires in March and she will ultimately debut in WWE. Currently, she's still the NJPW Strong Women's Champion and retained the belt against Trish Adora recently. Guilia is set to defend the title in Chicago, where she'll most likely drop it, but the original plan was for Mercedes to dethrone Guilia for the belt.

The report also claimed that while there are many rumors that she'll jump to AEW next, nothing about Mercedes' next move is certain. Some in AEW expect she'll be signing with them within the month, while there are others in WWE who believe she'll return at the upcoming Royal Rumble. Notably, veterans like Booker T believe that Mercedes will not be a good fit for AEW.

Additionally, the report also noted that Mercedes will likely still capture the NJPW Strong Women's Championship if she's allowed to occasionally work for the Japanese company. WON reiterated prior claims that the title was initially created for Mercedes because Bushiroad wanted Mayu Iwatani to hold the IWGP Women's Championship. Currently, the only certainty is that Giulia will defend the title in Chicago, despite the fact that her contract will already expire by the time this year's Windy City Riot takes place.