The former WWE champion Mercedes Mone recently signed with All Elite Wrestling. The contract she inked earlier this year makes her one of the highest-earning athletes in the female wrestling arena.
She clinched the RAW Women’s Championship five times during her tenure in WWE. While a return to her roots was anticipated, she opted for AEW instead. Mone made her comeback with AEW in Boston last Wednesday, receiving a rousing reception from fans.
Mercedes Mone reportedly becomes highest-paid female wrestler
Before signing the deal with AEW, she was also in talks with WWE. The executives wanted her to ‘return home’ and tried to strike a deal with her. It is reported that she was looking for a contract similar to Becky Lynch, which did not materialize eventually.
The deal with AEW makes her possibly the highest-paid female wrestler in the history of the wrestling industry. The exact numbers for the contract are never released, but we expect them to be in the 8-digit range.
Mone does not seem to be hiding about the deal either. In an interview with ESPN, she was quoted saying, ‘I’m all about the bag. I mean, I’m not Mercedes Moné for no reason. Money changes everything.’
She made her debut at the Big Business event as part of AEW’s Dynamite. The reaction to her comeback was phenomenal, as the audience from her hometown welcomed her. She compared her reaction to ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin during that moment.
Potential reason for Mercedes Mone choosing AEW over WWE
However, it was not entirely money that made Mercedes Mone sign up with AEW. The new contract is less demanding, which gives her more avenues to explore. Mone has already made a guest appearance in the second season of The Mandalorian.
Mone has plans to take roles in acting seriously going forward. The AEW deal has a flexible schedule, which allows her to take advantage of opportunities in films and TV series.
AEW has ties to Warner Brothers and Discovery, which should make things even easier for her. Other WWE alumni have pursued careers in Hollywood in the past and carved out a niche for themselves. Dwayne Johnson and Dave Bautista are some of the prominent names that come to mind who transitioned into movies.
Mercedes also has a budding career in music. Mone provided the lyrics to her entrance theme, ‘CEO’, previously. Also, she is related to Snoop Dogg, who can point her in the right direction should she choose to release her own music.
Would you like to see Mercedes Mone in the next season of The Mandalorian? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
