When Mercedes Moné debuted for AEW in early 2024, the wrestling world paid attention. Known globally as Sasha Banks in WWE, her signing signaled that AEW was ready to compete on the same level when it came to women’s wrestling star power.
AEW finalized her contract in January, marking one of the biggest acquisitions in company history. AEW President Tony Khan called her arrival “a defining moment for AEW’s brand and for women’s wrestling.” The debut episode featuring Moné nearly doubled AEW’s average live-viewership engagement.
For Moné, AEW offered something new: creative freedom, diverse opponents, and the chance to help shape a division rather than fit into a system.
The Road to the AEW TBS Championship
Moné’s rise to gold was fast but earned.
- She defeated Willow Nightingale at AEW All In 2025 to capture the TBS Championship, winning by submission with her “Moné Maker.”
- The finish capped a story that started years earlier in NJPW STRONG.
AEW planned Moné’s victory months in advance to anchor the women’s division. Her reign launched with main-event prestige and consistent defenses against Toni Storm, Hikaru Shida, and Stephanie Vaquer — each match boosting live-crowd reaction and online traction.
Reimagining AEW’s Women’s Division
Before 2025, AEW’s women’s matches rarely got top billing. That changed almost immediately after Moné’s arrival.
AEW began airing multiple women’s segments per Dynamite and Collision episode for the first time.
Her matches consistently ranked among AEW’s highest-viewed segments.
Moné played a leadership role, helping other wrestlers refine pacing and presentation.
Beyond AEW – A Global Impact
Moné’s AEW success quickly crossed borders. Her name carried weight in the U.S., Japan, and Latin America and AEW capitalized.
Off TV, she appeared in mainstream interviews and magazines as the new face of modern women’s wrestling.
Moné became proof that women’s matches can headline, draw, and sell merchandise at the same scale as men’s.
The Legacy and What Comes Next
As of late 2025, Moné’s title reign continues.
Internally, AEW views her as a division cornerstone, someone who made the women’s roster feel essential, not optional.
Her success has also pushed other promotions to showcase their women’s titles more frequently, reflecting her industry-wide influence.
Whether she stays TBS Champion or moves toward AEW World Women’s Title contention, Mercedes Moné’s name is now inseparable from the modern era of women’s wrestling.
Impact Summary
Mercedes Moné’s AEW 2025 title run redefined expectations for women’s wrestling.
By combining technical excellence, star power, and cultural reach, she turned AEW’s women’s division into a consistent ratings draw and a creative focal point.
Her story is more than a championship reign, it’s a blueprint for how to elevate women’s wrestling on a global scale.
