AEW TBS Champ Mercedes Mone Loses NJPW Strong Women's Title At Resurgence
When Mercedes Moné became a free agent, she quickly began to seek out what many believed she lacked in her previous promotion: gold. Over the past three years, Moné has claimed and held onto many championships, but one of the earliest titles she won has now slipped past her fingers, as AZM is the new NJPW STRONG Women's Champion.
Moné, AZM, and Mina Shirakawa took to the ring in Ontario, California Friday night in one of NJPW: Resurgence's two main events to contest Moné's title in a high-octane Triple Threat. Pictures from the evening posted onto social media show all women tousled and exhausted by the end of the contest, in which AZM pinned Shirakawa in a roll-up to dethrone Moné for the title. With her victory, AZM ended Moné's 313-day reign with the NJPW STRONG Women's title, which Moné first claimed after defeating Stephanie Vaquer in a winner-take-all match for both AEW's TBS Championship and the NJPW STRONG Women's Championship.
AZM pins Mina Shirikawa in a triple threat with Mercedes Mone to become your new NJPW STRONG Women's Champion. The title was previously held by Willow Nightingale, Giulia, Stephanie Vaquer, and Mercedes Moné. pic.twitter.com/hhoNze6axc
— Fightful Wrestling (@Fightful) May 10, 2025
#andNEW STRONG Women's Champion!
AZM put a shock stop to the Mone train in Onatrio, pinning Mina Shirakawa in a chaotic three-way match to dethrone Mercedes!#njresurgence report:https://t.co/o6L0u0CsJdOrder the replay!https://t.co/REkSlaM96N pic.twitter.com/gE4fBHKz4B
— NJPW Global (@njpwglobal) May 10, 2025
The loss comes at a shock to many in the professional wrestling sphere, as Moné has been booked incredibly strongly within AEW and its collaborators, such as NJPW. Moné herself seemed shocked at the title change, and took to social media to claim that she "didn't lose," but was rather the victim of referee incompetence. Moné is expected to compete in the Owen Hart Cup finals at AEW: Double or Nothing near the end of May for a chance at "Timeless" Toni Storm's AEW Women's World Championship.
I don't lose, I got screwed! I hate that referee #njResurgence
— Mercedes Moné Varnado (@MercedesVarnado) May 10, 2025
AZM, one of Japan's rising female performers at just 22 years old, now holds both the NJPW Strong Women's Championship and the Artist of Stardom Championship with Miyu Amasaki and Starlight Kid as Neo Genesis. Shirakawa, who was pinned in the match, is expected to make her AEW debut at a currently undisclosed time.