Her WWE exit now complete, Mercedes Mone makes her NJPW debut and fan reaction is…interesting. Plus, will we see a RAW title change soon?
Mercedes Mone Makes NJPW Debut
It’s been months in the making, but Mercedes Mone makes her NJPW debut during WrestleKingdom…and the reaction seems mixed.
This seemed like a forgone conclusion the moment the former Sasha Banks walked out on RAW months back.
Then, if only briefly, with new leadership fans thought we were seeing a reconciliation. None happened, or at least, not yet.
On Tuesday, the former WWE Superstar sent out a flurry of tweets thanking WWE talent and leadership. The move was ahead of her long rumored NJPW debut.
You can see the debut here:
IT’S MERCEDES MONÉ!@mercedesvarnado is in the Tokyo Dome!!!#wk17 #njpw pic.twitter.com/PD54lqLr1L
— njpwworld (@njpwworld) January 4, 2023
And just read the reactions as Mercedes Mone makes her NJPW debut, complete with a new finisher.
That whole thing was awful. From her terrible theme to her slurring her words with some weird accent then botching her new move. It was all very underwhelming
— Josh (@GeauxTigahss) January 4, 2023
Some fans were understandably excited. As Sasha Banks, she certainly had her fans.
However, others were less wowed.
This was kind of rough. As someone who stopped watching the E before her debut, this was my introduction to her and I do not understand the hype. I understand she’s been gone for a while though, so maybe it was just ring/mic rust. Willing to see how it turns out.
— TheTsunaru (@TheTsunaru) January 4, 2023
From my own perspective, even in WWE, I felt like whatever pop she might get-from a return or a turn-it was not always sustained.
And…the new finisher? Either she botched it badly, or it is just that bad.
Best description is some form of a backslide into a DDT, but it just looked awkward and perhaps as a first time live, it was botched.
I just hope she doesn’t channel her inner Val Venis and call it her Mone Shot.
One other thing that may have hurt the debut is that, per many comments, Japanese fans tend to be more reserved. I am not an expert on that, but if that is accurate, that took something off the debut as well.
Now, we wait and see if Mone does indeed next land in AEW, given those rumors, and the relationship between AEW and NJPW.
RAW Title Change Soon?
We’ve already seen a SmackDown title change ahead of the Rumble...so will we see a RAW title change soon too?
According to one site, yes.
The change is expected to involve Bianca Belair dropping the RAW Women’s Championship…but she may not drop it to Alexa Bliss.
Per the report, the expected RAW Women’s Championship match at WrestleMania should see Becky Lynch defend against Rhea Ripley.
It seems unlikely, though not impossible, to have more than one title change between now and April.
However, given the Road to WrestleMania and that hype machine, having a title situation in that much flux is doubtful.
With that in mind, there are two likely chances for a change, assuming WWE pulls the switch off on a premium live event.
We could see Becky challenge Bianca at the Rumble…or we could see the title change hands in the Elimination Chamber.
Of course, it could also happen on RAW, if it is something WWE wants to do.
Almost as interesting will be to see how WWE pivots from Bliss as a challenger to Becky, unless they do indeed hold off until the Chamber.
Ripley versus Lynch has been teased for a while, off and on, but we’ve not yet seen it. We might get it in Hollywood.
