Video: Mercedes Mone Training Montage Suggests Ankle Injury Recovery Going Well
It's been over six months since Mercedes Moné suffered a significant ankle injury at NJPW STRONG Resurgence. In a new video shared by Moné on social media, it would appear the former WWE star, who began working for New Japan Pro-Wrestling and STARDOM at the start of this year, is ramping up her training for an in-ring return.
Throughout the montage, she is shown going through some vigorous exercises inside the squared circle at the Hybrid School of Wrestling in San Antonio, Texas. While she no longer requires a walking boot, Moné does appear to be wearing support braces on her left leg throughout the session.
— Mercedes Moné Varnado (@MercedesVarnado) November 29, 2023
Moné's ankle injury occurred during the finals of the NJPW STRONG Women's Championship tournament against Willow Nightingale. She was visibly struggling towards the end of that title clash after falling from the ring to the floor. It resulted in an awkward finish, in which the referee abruptly stopped counting Nightingale's pinfall following a powerbomb. Nightingale then delivered another powerbomb to capture the belt. It was later reported that Moné called an audible in the ring to alter the conclusion of the match; Moné was supposed to win the championship.
Moné was rumored to wrestle at AEW's All In pay-per-view before she suffered her setback. Instead, Moné was shown attending AEW's first show across the pond during the live broadcast — her most recent wrestling-related appearance. Tony Khan mentioned over the summer that there were "definitely a lot of potential things [that] could happen there" once Moné was healthy, indicating that Moné is open to working with the promotion upon her return.