As one of the few superstars to have held a top championship in WWE, NJPW, and now AEW, Mercedes Mone has a unique and valuable perspective on the wrestling business. In a recent interview, the reigning AEW TBS Champion offered a candid comparison of the backstage cultures at AEW and WWE, describing the difference between the two locker rooms as “night and day.”
Mercedes Mone on the ‘Hunger’ of the AEW Locker Room
Appearing on the “Markin Out Podcast” with her fellow WWE alumnus, MVP, Mercedes Moné was asked about the difference between the backstage environments at her current and former companies. She described the AEW locker room as a passionate community with a collective “hunger” to grow the brand.
“When I am around the girls, it just feels like such a community of wanting to make this place grow. There is a hunger. I feel like we still feel so underground and we want to make it up here,” Moné said (courtesy of Fightful). “All these women have so much drive and passion. I can feel it. They fire me up. I want to be the best because they want to be the best.”
She was careful not to disparage her former employer, stating, “I don’t want to say, ‘WWE is bad and people have egos,’ it just feels like we’re all trying to fight for something and we’re trying to fight to make this the best. I love people who have passion and hunger.”
A Private Space and a Public Mission
Moné also offered an interesting and humorous insight into her own personal experience in the AEW locker room, revealing that as one of the company’s top stars, she enjoys the perk of having her own private space.
“First of all, I have my own locker room [laughs]. So, I’m not in it. I like being away from it. I don’t want to be part of the drama or anything,” she joked.
Her comments, while lighthearted, speak to the veteran status she holds within the company. She has been on a remarkable journey since her departure from WWE in 2022. She went on to become a champion in New Japan Pro-Wrestling and Stardom before making her historic debut for All Elite Wrestling earlier this year. This diverse experience has given her a unique perspective on the different ways a wrestling company can operate.
The ‘Underground’ Mentality
Moné’s description of the AEW locker room as feeling “so underground” is a fascinating one. It suggests an “us against the world” mentality, a collective drive to prove that AEW is the best professional wrestling company in the world. This stands in contrast to the more established, corporate environment of WWE, a company that has been the undisputed top dog in the industry for decades. For a performer like Moné, who is known for her immense passion and creative drive, the hungry, competitive, and community-oriented atmosphere of the AEW locker room is clearly a perfect fit. She is currently in the midst of a dominant reign as the AEW TBS Champion and is set to defend her title in a special international four-way match at the Forbidden Door pay-per-view later this month.