APAC Promoter Says Mercedes Moné Travel Story Isn’t Accurate And Claims He Has Proof

Ayez Shaukat has publicly responded to Mercedes Moné vacating the APAC Wrestling Women’s Championship, pushing back on her claims and insisting that the travel situation wasn’t reported accurately.

Shaukat addressed the situation after Moné’s announcement went viral, saying he was flooded with messages and felt the need to share his side of the story. He began by making it clear that he still respects Moné despite disagreeing with the public narrative. Shaukat opened his response by addressing the reaction online and acknowledging Moné’s star power.

“I woke up on 3 hours of sleep to a flood of texts, tags, and questions, so let me say this clearly. I have nothing but respect for Mercedes Moné. She is a global star, in high demand, and I understand that her schedule and travel limitations are real.”

He then disputed claims that his promotion failed to explore options, saying he personally reached out to other companies and worked on possible solutions.

“But the public narrative being pushed does not fully reflect what actually happened. We did try. We did explore working with other promotions, because that was what was asked of us. I personally reached out, followed up, and tried to make multiple scenarios work.”

Shaukat also denied a key part of the travel story, stating that he never asked other promotions to cover travel costs and that he has proof to support his claim. He added that he even tried to stretch the promotion’s resources in an attempt to make the appearance happen.

“I also need to correct this clearly: I did not ask other promotions to fly my wrestler in for us. I have the text and email receipts to back that up, and I am prepared to stand on that truth if necessary.”

“I openly said I would take on extra work and secure sponsors to try and bring Mercedes to Malaysia. That ultimately was not workable, which I understand, so we were pushed to explore solutions abroad instead.”

Shaukat also explained that financial realities played a major role, noting that APAC Wrestling operates without major funding and often runs events at a loss. He added that the situation affected other plans, including a storyline involving Nor Phoenix Diana that never received its intended conclusion. He ended his statement with a direct message to Moné, apologizing for how the situation unfolded publicly.

“To Mercedes, I sincerely apologize for any public discomfort this has caused. I still have respect for you, and I understand you are likely speaking from what was communicated to you.”

Moné’s original announcement came earlier the same day through her Mone Mag, where she explained why she decided to vacate the championship while overseas. Moné explained that the decision happened while she was in London and involved returning the title due to travel issues.

“While I was in London, I had to make a tough call. I sent the Malaysia Championship back.”

She also claimed that her team made several attempts to work things out but ultimately couldn’t reach an agreement due to budget limitations and lack of flexibility.

“My team and I really tried to make things work—we put in the effort, had the conversations, and explored every option. But at the end of the day, they told us they didn’t have the budget to fly me out and weren’t open to working with other promotions. For me? That just didn’t align with the vision. So I made the decision to vacate the title.”

Moné’s title reign lasted 140 days after she defeated Nor Phoenix Diana, but the decision to vacate ended that run and left her without the championship. Now, with both sides sharing their versions of events, the situation has turned into a public disagreement about what really happened behind the scenes.

Do you think Ayez Shaukat’s response clears up the situation, or do you believe Mercedes Moné’s version still holds more weight? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.