Mercedes Mone Says WWE Cut Her Matches Short—Now She’s in Control in AEW

Mercedes Mone isn’t holding back when it comes to the differences between her time in WWE and her current run in AEW—and she’s making it clear which one lets her shine.

Speaking with Justin Barrasso for Undisputed, the current AEW TBS Champion opened up about her frustrations in WWE and how things have changed since joining AEW in early 2024. The biggest difference? Time and control.

“Before, there were so many times when I was getting four-minute matches–or we’d get to the building and something would change,” Mone said. “You’d spend weeks planning for it all to change at the last minute. Now, it’s not changing. I get to go out and do it. It’s mine to claim, it’s mine to carry, it’s mine to do. I get to go out and live my dream.”

That frustration over constant last-minute adjustments and short matches was a driving factor behind her decision to leave WWE. In AEW, Mone says she’s finally being treated like the top-tier talent she knows she is. She also explained why she didn’t return to WWE despite the open door.

“This is where the best wrestle,” she said of AEW. “These women have so much drive to be the best, and that makes my passion even stronger, too.”

Mone added that she’s now chasing the goals she never could in WWE, especially when it comes to wrestling internationally.

“I wanted to explore Japanese women’s wrestling and UK women’s wrestling for so long. I’m not dreaming about it anymore–I’m doing it.”

This Sunday at AEW Double or Nothing, Mone will face Jamie Hayter in the Owen Hart Cup finals. It’s a high-stakes match, but more importantly, it’s a showcase she feels in control of—unlike the rushed segments she was often handed in WWE.