Mercedes Moné recently shared insights into her professional wrestling career and pivotal moments that reshaped women’s roles in the sport. During an interview on the Marking Out podcast with MVP and Dwayne Swayze, she explained how her passion for wrestling started early and shaped her ambitions.
She recalled her mother’s initial concerns about the type of women’s matches popular in the late 1990s and early 2000s, which often focused more on appearance than athleticism. Moné emphasized her aspiration to move beyond that limited portrayal to something greater.
“Since I was 10 years old, I knew wrestling was my calling, my self purpose, my everything. I always told my mom I wanted to be a pro wrestler, and then I would watch it with her, and she’d be like, ‘That’s what you want to do?’ She’s wrong watching the bra and panties matches with me in the mud fight. She goes, ‘That’s what you want to do?’ And I’m like, ‘No, Mom, not that. Watch the next match. Watch Eddie Guerrero. I want to do that, but in the female form.”
—Mercedes Moné
Influential Figures Who Helped Elevate Women’s Wrestling
Moné highlighted the important roles played by WWE figures such as Triple H, Dusty Rhodes, and William Regal in transforming women’s wrestling, particularly in WWE NXT. She pointed out that their commitment to offering women opportunities to perform in longer, more competitive matches was groundbreaking.
“I feel like once Triple H came down to NXT and switched it, and Dusty Rhodes had so much passion for his students, and William Regal, those were the three that said, ‘Let’s give the women an opportunity to shine.’ The first women’s match I saw in NXT was Paige vs. Emma, and they had 20 minutes. I had never seen that before. I wanted that.”
—Mercedes Moné
Key Matches That Defined Her Career and the Women’s Wrestling Landscape
Moné identified several career highlights, including her Four-Way match against Charlotte, Becky Lynch, and Bayley, plus holding the NXT Women’s Championship, as milestones that defined her professional path. She also singled out her 2015 NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn bout with Bayley as a watershed moment in the evolution of women’s wrestling.
“After that match, women’s wrestling kind of just elevated and changed the landscape.”
—Mercedes Moné
The Growing Impact of Women’s Wrestling and What Lies Ahead
Mercedes Moné’s journey reflects the broader shift towards recognizing women’s wrestling as a serious and athletic competition, far removed from the earlier “diva” image. By crediting those who championed change and sharing her own defining moments, she underlines the ongoing transformation in the industry. As she continues to push boundaries, her story inspires greater progress in women’s wrestling worldwide, suggesting a future where talent and storytelling take center stage.
