Former WWE Superstar Sasha Banks left the wrestling world buzzing early Wednesday morning when she made her New Japan Pro-Wrestling debut at Wrestle Kingdom 17 under the name Mercedes Moné.
After weeks of rumors and speculation, Moné confronted Kairi after her successful IWGP Women's Championship defense against Tam Nakano at the Tokyo Dome. Moné attacked Kairi and then cut a promo, challenging her to a title match at NJPW Battle in the Valley in San Jose, California, on Feb. 18:
Mercedes not only had a new name from her time in WWE, but also a new look, as her hair was significantly shorter and featured a cheetah-print pattern:
She also executed what was perhaps her new finishing move on Kairi, potentially retiring the Bank Statement in the process.
Moné has long been one of the most popular stars in wrestling, so it came as little surprise that her fans were out in full force on social media to support her despite the time difference that resulted in Wrestle Kingdom airing in the middle of the night in the United States:
During her time in WWE as Sasha Banks, Mercedes enjoyed a special run over the course of a decade.
In addition to revitalizing women's wrestling in WWE as part of the Four Horsewomen with Bayley, Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair, Moné established herself as one of the most decorated female Superstars in WWE history as well.
She held the Raw Women's Championship five times, WWE Women's Tag Team Championships three times and both the SmackDown and NXT Women's Championships one time each.
Mercedes also competed in the first one-on-one women's main event in WrestleMania history when she and Bianca Belair headlined Night 1 of WrestleMania 37 just two years ago.
After essentially doing it all in WWE, Moné apparently felt it was time for a new challenge, and she now has an opportunity to put the NJPW and STARDOM women's division on the map globally, just like she did for WWE.
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