Mercedes Mone Announces Break From AEW

Mercedes Mone Announces Break From AEW – Mercedes Mone has announced that she is stepping away from AEW, making the declaration during a pre-taped segment that aired on the January 10 episode of AEW Collision.

The video showed Mone seated in her locker room, visibly shaken following the events surrounding Willow Nightingale’s TBS Championship celebration. During that segment, Mone confronted the new champion, only to have a celebratory cake smashed in her face before being laid out. The Collision vignette picked up in the aftermath, with Mone sitting in front of a mirror and venting her frustration over what she described as ongoing disrespect.

“I am taking a break from AEW,” Mone stated. “To show you why and how I elevated. And good luck without me. Because when I return, I am collecting more than just titles.”

The announcement comes during a rare down period in Mone’s otherwise dominant run across multiple promotions. After peaking at 13 championships simultaneously, her total has now dropped to nine following a string of high-profile losses. Most recently, Mone dropped the RevPro Undisputed British Women’s Championship to Alex Windsor. She also lost the ROH Women’s Television Championship to Red Velvet, ending her reign with that title.

However, the most significant setback occurred on the final AEW Dynamite of 2025, when Willow Nightingale defeated Mone to capture the TBS Championship. That victory ended Mone’s reign at nearly 600 days, closing the book on one of the longest and most dominant title runs in AEW history. The Collision segment directly referenced that loss, framing it as a breaking point for Mone both emotionally and professionally.

As of now, AEW has not provided any additional clarification on whether Mone’s break is strictly storyline-related or tied to time away from in-ring competition. No timetable has been announced for her return. What is clear is that AEW programming will move forward without one of its biggest stars for the time being, while Mone positions her eventual comeback as something far bigger than a simple title chase.