Below are a couple of top news stories of the day, involving Mercedes Mone and Kazuchika Okada.
• Mercedes Mone (fka Sasha Banks in WWE) is the hottest free agent on the pro-wrestling market and word going on is that she’s going to debut in AEW soon.
According to the Wrestling Observer, the backstage expectation in All Elite Wrestling is that Mercedes will debut once she wraps up her ongoing acting commitments:
“Mone hasn’t returned and even with all the AEW rumors (and there is expectation in AEW that she’ll be in after finishing up some acting commitments this month), nothing is for certain and some in WWE believe there is still a shot for her in the Royal Rumble.”
Mercedes’ last match took place on May 21st 2023, where she lost to AEW wrestler Willow Nightingale at NJPW STRONG Resurgence in a match to crown the inaugural NJPW STRONG Women’s Champion.
Mone got injured during this match and hasn’t competed since.
There was a report that WWE ended conversations with her regarding a return, as she asked for a lot of money.
She walked out from WWE in May 2022 due to creative differences and alleged disrespect from WWE Officials.
WATCH: Noelle Foley (Daughter Of Mick Foley) Exposes Her Buns In A Bikini:
• New Japan Pro Wrestling has announced that former World Champion Kazuchika Okada is leaving the company.
Okada issued the following statement regarding his NJPW departure:
“I have nothing but gratitude for having been a part of New Japan Pro-Wrestling since 2007, and for NJPW bringing me from a 19 year old kid off the plane in Mexico to the Rainmaker I am today.
Thank you to the best of companies in NJPW, to the best of opponents that I’ve been able to face here, and to the best of fans that have cheered and booed over the years.
I promise to make it rain in every match I have left, so keep watching.”
In his farewell NJPW match, Okada will face NJPW TV Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi (who is also the NJPW President) on February 11.
