Mercedes Mone Felt Like She Didn’t Belong Towards End of WWE Run

Mercedes Mone, formerly known as Sasha Banks during her WWE tenure, has emerged as a prominent name in the wrestling industry. Recently, Mone opened up about her departure from WWE back in 2022 and her feelings about it.

Mone, along with Naomi, left WWE in 2022 due to creative differences with Vince McMahon while they were holding the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships. Their exit led to an indefinite suspension from WWE SmackDown and a wave of criticism

While speaking to HOT97, when asked about her reasons for leaving WWE, Mercedes Mone cited multiple factors, with the most significant being the need to listen to her heart and soul. She felt something was off that day, and how she and Naomi were spoken to didn’t sit well with her. She realized that if she didn’t take control of her life then, she would never be happy there, especially with the way she was treated and feeling like she didn’t belong after 14 years in the industry.

Making the decision to leave was incredibly difficult since WWE had been her dream since she was 10 years old. Being with the company for 10 years and then walking out was the hardest choice she ever made, but it turned out to be the best one. Now, she is the TBS Champion and the highest-paid woman in women’s wrestling history.

”There’s so many reasons, but the biggest thing is just listening to my heart and my soul. Something didn’t feel right that day. How we were talked to didn’t settle in my heart, and I just instantly knew if I wasn’t going to take control of my life right here and now, then I was never going to be happy there, having someone talk to me the way that they do or feeling like you just don’t belong. Like, okay, I’ve been doing this for 14 years, and to feel this low, my soul was like, ‘No, get up, go.’

That’s a big decision, though. It was the hardest decision. WWE was always my dream when I was 10 years old. So, to be with that company for 10 years and to walk out was the hardest decision I’ve ever made in my whole life. But it’s now the greatest decision I’ve ever made because where I am today, the TBS Champion, the highest-paid woman in women’s wrestling history.”

Mercedes Mone has also addressed possibly returning to WWE eventually. For now, Mone is focused on being the TBS Champion and one of the faces of AEW and that is all that truly matters to her.

Do you believe leaving WWE was the right call by Mercedes Mone? Let us know in the comments section below!

Please credit Ringside News if you use the above transcript in your publication.