Matt Hardy Explains Why Mercedes Mone's AEW Signing Is Different Than Ospreay Or Okada

AEW President Tony Khan has been very busy in the free agent market in 2024, signing Will Ospreay, Kazuchika Okada, and, most recently, former WWE Women's Champion Mercedes Mone, formerly known as Sasha Banks. Mone debuted on the "Big Business" edition of "AEW Dynamite," and has already excited fans about what she could do and who she could face in the promotion. However, in the eyes of AEW star Matt Hardy, her signing vastly differs from that of an Ospreay or an Okada. 

"Mercedes is someone that the casual fans know a lot more," Hardy said on his "The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy" podcast. "I think those casual eyeballs are very important to get on your product, and she is going to assist in getting those casual eyeballs and more general wrestling fans to watch your programming." 

Hardy explained that more international wrestling fans will have followed Ospreay and Okada, who have certainly brought equity and legitimacy to the AEW men's division. Meanwhile, Mone is more mainstream, and he believes she has brought more star power to the AEW women's division.

Furthermore, Hardy believes Mone carries herself so well because she knows she has that special something other people don't. "She knows she's good, she's very unique in the way she does things in the ring, and she just has this presence and this aura about her where, when you see her, you believe in her. She is someone who connects with the fans, both female and male...she has that 'it' factor."

Please credit "The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy when using quotes from this article, and give a H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.