AEW star Saraya revealed that she contacted Mercedes Mone after receiving medical clearance for her wrestling return. Their history dates back to their WWE days when Saraya, formerly known as Paige, and Mone, previously known as Sasha Banks, shared the ring on numerous occasions.
In 2015, Mercedes Mone debuted on WWE’s main roster alongside Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch. Meanwhile, Saraya made her main roster debut in 2014, the night after WrestleMania 30, quickly establishing herself as a top star in the women’s division.
Both stars competed in WWE for several years until a career-altering moment in 2017. During a WWE live event, Mone delivered a back-kick to Saraya. This caused her to collapse and suffer a severe neck injury that ultimately forced her into retirement. While Saraya has always defended Mone, insisting she was not at fault, Mone struggled to cope with the aftermath.
In 2019, Mone opened up about the incident on WWE Chronicle, revealing how it affected her emotionally and made her question herself. Many fans blamed Mone for Saraya’s early retirement, labeling her unsafe in the ring. However, Saraya has consistently defended Mone, stating she was not at fault.
After years away from competition, Saraya received medical clearance in 2022. She made her long-awaited return to in-ring action at “AEW Full Gear” against Britt Baker. Following her return, Saraya reached out to Mone to let her know she was back in wrestling.
Saraya opens up about heartfelt exchange with Mercedes Mone after getting cleared
Speaking on the Lightweights Podcast, Saraya opened up about the moment she found out she was cleared to wrestle. She revealed that she texted Mercedes Mone. She stated, “I text Mercedes, and she was one of the first people I texted. I was like, ‘I’m back wrestling again now, like, you don’t have to be sad anymore’ because she was having a really rough time mentally for a long time because it’s rough ending someone’s career, you know? And so, and it’s by accident, it wasn’t done purposely, so I wanted to, like, tell her, like, ‘Hey, we’re all good. I’m—I’m back wrestling, like, this is crazy,’ and I just cried my eyes out.”
With both stars currently wrestling in AEW, fans have always wondered when the two will eventually share the ring again.
