Logistical Issues Nearly Derailed Mercedes Mone’s First WWE Championship Victory

Mercedes Mone’s arrival in AEW has certainly changed the promotion’s landscape when it comes to the women’s division. She had humble beginnings as it took a while for her to make a name for herself in WWE and it appears she almost missed out on winning her first WWE Championship.

Women’s wrestling in North America was significantly different when Mercedes Mone made her debut in 2010. However, the landscape began to shift rapidly after she signed with WWE in 2012. Known at the time as Sasha Banks, Mone, along with Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair, and Bayley, played a major role in transforming women’s wrestling in WWE. Their groundbreaking work in NXT set new standards and captured the attention of the wrestling world.

Mone’s first major achievement came when she won the NXT Women’s Championship at NXT TakeOver: Rival in February 2015. The moment almost didn’t happen due to a delayed flight that had her worried she might miss the event entirely. In an article for The Independent, Mone recounted her anxiety about potentially missing the show and her emotional call to her coach, fearing she wouldn’t make it in time. Fortunately, she arrived just before the event began and went on to win the title.

”I knew we were on the right track in 2015, when the four of us faced off at NXT TakeOver: Rival. My flight was delayed, and I was so worried I wouldn’t make it – I remember calling my coach in tears and telling him I might miss the show. Luckily I got there just before it started, and ended up winning my first NXT Women’s Championship.

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While winning the belt felt amazing, what really made the night magical was seeing the reaction to our match. Fans blew the roof off the place with chants of “This is awesome!” and the internet exploded with positive reviews. I knew then that we were doing something really special.”

Winning the championship was a significant accomplishment, but what truly made the night memorable for Mone was the overwhelming response from fans. The arena erupted with chants of “This is awesome!” and the positive buzz online confirmed that they had achieved something special. Mone realized that the match had a major impact and that they were definitely changing the game for women’s wrestling and the rest is simply history.

How different do you think things would have turned out had Mercedes Mone not made it in time for the match? Sound off in the comments section below!