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Exclusive: There's Nothing Anyone Can Say To Waver The Confidence Of Mercedes Moné

Mercedes Moné knows exactly who she is and does not care about your opinions in the slightest.

Rick Ucchino

Mercedes Moné defends her TBS Championship against Kris Statlander at AEW Full Gear
Mercedes Moné defends her TBS Championship against Kris Statlander at AEW Full Gear / Lee South - All Elite Wrestling

It hasn't taken Mercedes Moné long at all to become one of, if not thee, face of All Elite Wrestling. The CEO is everywhere and that's completely by her design.

In addition to her weekly appearances on AEW television, wrestling fans are treated to a fresh batch of news articles regarding the reigning TBS and New Japan Strong Women's Champion seemingly every day. There were several written Thursday across the pro wrestling beat, including here on The Takedown on SI.

Many of those stories now stem from her own website, which she launched earlier this year.

Mercedes Moné is one of the most polarizing figures in all of professional wrestling. Her belief was that if people are going to be talking about her anyway, she might as well try and manage the subject matter.

"This whole last two to three years, the internet, people just wanna create their own stories," Moné told The Takedown. "Really [the website] was just to control the narrative and to get my voice back. Going on social media every single day and seeing these made up stories... It's like enough's enough."

Every Thursday Mercedes drops a new edition of the MonéMag to fill her fans in on what's been going on in her busy life, or to reflect on a certain memory from her distinguished career.

It's a peak through the curtain to show folks a bit of what's behind the brash bravado of her onscreen persona. Has it helped quell the vitriol spewed by her detractors? Not at all, but to be frank, Mercedes doesn't really give a damn about the online criticism.

"Oh, things don't get to me at all anymore (laughs). I learned a long time ago to not let words affect me, because the internet used to affect me so much. Just the littlest things... would ruin my whole day." Mercedes admitted, but says over time she learned to just let the comments roll off her back.

It's very natural for wrestlers today to hop on social media after, or even during, a show to seek the high of instant adulation from those fans who are watching from home. It's nearly impossible, however, to navigate that digital minefield without stepping on a bomb of bitterness. When those moments inevitably come to pass, Mercedes says it's important for talent to not take things personally.

"We have no idea who is on the other side of the keyboard. I don't know if these are bots. I don't know if it's someone who looks like you. I don't know if it's a witch or rat or whoever, but at the end of the day I don't care what you have to say about me."

Regardless the nature of the comments, Moné feeds off their existence. Whether fans and critics love her or hate her, they certainly love to talk about the CEO, "It's the best feeling in the world."

CEO
Mercedes Moné celebrating a win over Queen Aminata on Dynamite / Lee South - All Elite Wrestling

One aspect of Mercedes' life that no doubt lends an assist to leaving the cloud of negativity that follows her in the dust, is her ridiculously busy travel schedule. While people are talking about her life, she's out there living it.

The balancing act of performing in both AEW and NJPW, in addition to juggling her numerous acting, modeling and other media related side projects, can be difficult to manage. There's only so many hours in a day and the woman has to sleep at some point.

Occasionally, important activities will get cut from the schedule. Setting aside time to get in the ring to sharpen her skills, for example. Which can lead to some understandable, but not totally warranted anxiety.

"Sometimes I legit freak out. I'm like, oh my God, I didn't train this week, or I didn't train before this pay-per-view. And I'm like, Mercedes, there's people who don't step in the ring and train at all, or even practice their match beforehand. I'm like, you are at a level that you don't even need that."

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In an article published on her website, Mercedes expressed her disappointment in not being able to do any in-ring training in the weeks leading up to her match with Dr. Britt Baker at AEW All In at Wembley Stadium.

Mercedes instead dove heavily into watching film, like she was preparing to suit up for her hometown New England Patriots. Highlights of Dr. Baker's matches, as well as a few of her favorite performers, were a constant on Moné's devices. All in an effort to draw inspiration for her marquee showdown in London.

While she believes her prep work helped get the job done on that day, Mercedes made sure to take a different approach ahead of Saturday's Full Gear PPV. Where she will defend her TBS Championship against Kris Statlander.

"I love training for my opponent. I love to try to create different moves and move sets that I can outdo their moves," Mercedes said. "I made sure I stepped into the ring for Kris Statlander because she is a legit powerhouse in this women's division. And I definitely won't take her lightly. My back still hurts from being thrown into the wall."

Opportunities like the one Mercedes has before her Saturday night really gets her mind working creatively.

Kris Statlander will walk into the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ with a considerable height and weight advantage. The exact type of opponent that Mercedes loves to face as she feels she's able to produce her best work against someone who's bigger and stronger.

"I become more agile. I become faster... because I have to think about how and what am I gonna do to take down these bigger opponents. How much faster do I have to be? Do I have to climb to the top rope to jump on them? Do I have to take out a knee, an ankle? I have such amazing matches with stronger people and people who are bigger than me because I love doing high flying stuff. I love when I can have a good base to try out these cool new moves that I have imagined in my head."

The advantage for Moné Saturday lays in her experience. It was over 12 years ago that Mercedes KV - as she called herself back then - stepped into the ring for her first official match. A tag team bout in front of maybe 70 people at the National Guard Armory in Quincy, Massachusetts.

A match put together by one of her trainers at the time, Todd Smith. Who many wrestling fans recognize as Ivar, one half of the War Raiders in WWE.

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“He was such a mean trainer to me. I was so surprised he got me booked,” Mercedes joked. "I remember after the match, I came back and I just started crying and bawling, just because I thought I did terrible. I cried after every single match when I was in the independents for my first two years. 'Cause I'm like, I suck. I wanna be the best. It wasn't this and that, but it's crazy how much of a competitor I am with myself. We're our own worst critics."

Cleary young Mercedes was being a bit too hard on herself. WWE certainly saw something in the woman who would soon blossom into a Boss, as they signed her to contract after she participated in tryout in the summer of 2012.

Nearly 1000 matches later and that inexperienced teen who used to cry after each show, has become one of the most influential women's wrestlers in the history of the sport.

The remarkable growth of both herself and women's wrestling throughout her career, is something Mercedes honestly tries not to reflect on too often.

“Last week I was in Boston and I stopped at my old wrestling school. And just to see how much that's changed from the doors when I first walked into that place, to where I am now. I still can't believe it. I'm sometimes in shock, but I'm so thankful. It's all of the hard work that I put into this and it's the sacrifices, not giving up. And really just manifesting this. I wanted all of this so bad since I was a kid. I'm not gonna let anybody stop me now.”

Try as she might to focus on the future, Mercedes is often told that her body of work has been an inspiration.

Her famous NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn showdown with her good buddy Bayley, and other matches like it, have driven leagues of women to chase their dreams of being in the main event of WrestleMania or selling out a massive venue like Wembley Stadium.

If she spends too much time reflecting on the impact she's had across the globe, by her own admission, Mercedes may take a page out of her teenage play book and freak out a little bit. That said, she's well aware of the part she's had to play over the years.

“The fact that I can raise my hand and be like, I was a part of that. I did a little something to help with that. It's truly incredible for me,” Mercedes said. “I get to see and view it every single week when I'm here at AEW. When I get to be in the ring with these girls or talk to these girls who are 10 years younger than me, being like, I used to watch you. I'm like, oh my God, this is crazy. Embarrassing, but amazing.”

You can watch Mercedes Moné defend her TBS Championship against Kris Statlander Saturday night at AEW Full Gear. The show starts live at 8 PM ET / 5 PM PT on Triller, PPV.com, YouTube, Local Cable and Satellite PPV providers.

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Rick Ucchino
RICK UCCHINO

Rick Ucchino has been covering professional wrestling since 2019, but his broadcast career has spanned over 15 years. He can be heard every weekday morning on 700WLW radio in Cincinnati, OH. You can also read his work over on SI's Cincinnati Reds Talk. Follow Rick on X and Instagram: @RickUcchino

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