Report: WWE Expects Sasha Banks to Return After NJPW Run as Mercedes Moné

According to reports, people in the company believe that Banks will return to the company after her run in New Japan Pro-Wrestling.

According to Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio, WWE is very strongly under the impression that Moné won't wrestle in AEW despite rumors and speculation to the contrary. Moné is expected to return to the fold after she wrestles in Japan.

At Wrestle Kingdom 17, Mercedes confronted and attacked Kairi, the IW GP women's champion. Moné challenged Kairi to a match at NJPW Battle in the Valley.

njpwworld @njpwworld

IT'S MERCEDES MONÉ!@mercedesvarnado is in the Tokyo Dome!!!#wk17 #njpw pic.twitter.com/PD54lqLr1L

Moné's last wrestling-related appearance was in May 2022, when she and Naomi walked out of the show because of creative differences.

Mercedes and Naomi weren't on the show since they were suspended and stripped of the title.

Wrestling Inc.'s Raj Giri reported in June that WWE had released Mercedes, and it was recently reported by Fightful's Sean Ross that she was free to negotiate wrestling bookings with other companies.

Although it is possible that Moné's contract with NJPW and STARDOM could be exclusive, it is widely assumed that she has the flexibility to work elsewhere if she so chooses.

Mercedes will be Saraya's tag team partner on next week's Dynamite in Los Angeles, according to a report by Steve Muehlhausen.

Saraya chose Storm as her partner, but Baker called herself the boss, leading many to believe that AEW will switch to Moné replacing Storm.

Meltzer said that AEW would want her to sign at least a three-year contract if she appeared. Mercedes would prefer to keep her options open, according to Meltzer.

According to Meltzer, Mercedes' NJPW deal is only for a couple of matches, meaning she could potentially return to WWE in the near future.

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