Mercedes Mone Confirms She Altered Title Match Finish After Suffering Injury

Mercedes Mone has made significant impact in AEW since her arrival and she wasted no time in becoming the TBS Champion as well as the NJPW Women’s Strong Champion. In fact, she confirmed that she made the call to change the finish to a title match due to injury.

At NJPW Resurgence in May 2023, Mercedes Mone competed in a one-night tournament to crown the inaugural STRONG Women’s Champion. In the final match, Mone faced off against Willow Nightingale and was on track to win the title. However, things took a turn when Mone slipped from the top turnbuckle and injured her heel.

Following the accident, the match quickly ended, with Nightingale pulling off a surprising victory over Mone. It was widely believed that the match’s outcome was altered on the spot, and Mone has since confirmed that she made the call to lose the bout.

While speaking during an appearance on The Junkies on 106.7, Mone explained that years of practice and training prepare wrestlers for the bumps and risks in the ring, but injuries can still happen unexpectedly. She had been set to win the NJPW STRONG Women’s Title but, due to the severity of her injury, she instructed Nightingale to win instead since she was unable to stand.

“Just the many years of practising and training in the ring, you’re prepared to take all these bumps safely and effortlessly. Sometimes the moves really hurt and you can get injured and sometimes you don’t know who’s going to win.

“When I broke my heel last year, I was supposed to win this championship (NJPW STRONG Women’s Title). But I was too injured that I (just) told the girl, I’m like, ‘Um, you’re gonna have to win this title’ because I couldn’t even stand up.

“So, you never know what’s gonna happen in wrestling and I think that’s what’s the funnest part. It’s like, yes, it’s live. Yes, it’s predetermined but, you have no idea what’s gonna happen.”

Mercedes Mone has also confirmed she is working on releasing a music album in the future. Nevertheless, the CEO of AEW is fit and healthy now and continues to perform at a very top level and that’s all that matters to her right now.

Do you have more respect for Mercedes Mone after she decided to change the finish to the title match on the fly due to injury? Let us know in the comments section below!