Mercedes Mone makes surprise return on AEW Dynamite
Former TNT Champion Mercedes Mone made her surprise return to AEW during Wednesday’s Dynamite as the wild card in the women’s Owen Hart Foundation tournament — her first appearance in five months.
Mone squared off against Alex Windsor, getting her to tap out to the Mone Maker and advance to the semifinals against the winner of Saturday’s Persephone vs. Hazuki match on AEW Collision. It was a measure of revenge for Mone after Windsor defeated her for the RevPro Undisputed British Women’s title in mid-December.
It was Mone’s first appearance since early-January when after getting her face smashed into cake during Willow Nightingale’s TBS Championship celebration, she did a backstage promo saying she was leaving but would return.
Nightingale defeated Mone for the title on the December 31 New Year’s Smash Dynamite, ending her record reign. Coincidentally, Mone took the spot vacated by Nightingale after injuring her shoulder in mid-May, forcing her to also vacate the TBS title.
It was Mone’s first match since March 31 as she lost her final indie title in a loss to former champion Jody Threat.
Mone was the winner of last year’s Owen Hart Foundation tournament, but was unsuccessful in defeating then-AEW World Champion Toni Storm at All In: Texas.
Since 2011, Josh has been a contributing editor to Wrestling Observer/F4WOnline.com and also hosts the Punch-Out podcast. He has also written for Fight Magazine, Bloody Elbow, Bleacher Report, and other websites. He's a 2000 graduate of the University of Maine, worked in pro sports, and once was an indie ring announcer.