Mercedes Mone Reflects On AEW Dynamite Return, Comeback Outfit & Collision Appearance

Former TBS Champion Mercedes Mone made her triumphant return to AEW programming last week, when she was revealed as the wild card entrant into the 2026 Women's Owen Hart Foundation tournament on "AEW Dynamite." After a victory over Alex Windsor on the show, she also appeared on "AEW Collision" to take out both CMLL World Women's Champion Persephone, as well as her next opponent in the tournament, Hazuki.

Mone took to her newsletter, "Mone Mag," to enlighten her fans about everything regarding her return, from how she spent her time off, to her outfit. Mone started by saying she hadn't had a break that long, over six months, that wasn't due to injury, and she was simply just on vacation and enjoying her life. While she wrote that she missed wrestling and AEW, she called fans "impatient."

"Y'all are the type of people who look up the ending of a movie before finishing it," Mone wrote. "You love not being surprised. You love not being present and fully in the moment because you're so caught up in the fantasy. But now the wait is over."

She described being kept secret throughout the day, as she was brought into the arena with a blanket thrown over her head, something not uncommon in the wrestling industry to hide a returning talent. Mone said she was ready and felt good, as she had been training at House of Glory alongside Amazing Red to prepare for her return.

Mone wrote that her return outfit was inspired by her love of anime, and she once again channeled "Sailor Moon." The "CEO" said she was inspired by Sailor Pluto, who is the guardian of time in the anime. She said that the Sailor Scout appears just when she seems to be needed, which she deemed fitting for her return to AEW.

Mone entered the Owen tournament as the wild card, after now-former TBS Champion Willow Nightingale had to pull out of the event due to injury. Many fans speculated about her return, but even reports leading up to "Dynamite" that Wednesday were unclear if "The CEO" would be returning.

After Windsor made her way to the ring, Mone's music hit, and the crowd in Richmond, Virginia went wild. She hadn't been seen on "Dynamite" since her TBS title loss to Nightingale on the New Years Eve edition of the show. In "Mone Mag," the star said that she and Windsor have "great chemistry."

"But the CEO always collects," Mone said. "And I made that b**** tap out. Just like she deserved."

Mone said the best part of "Dynamite" was getting backstage and reuniting with everyone. She said she was thankful to work in the AEW environment and be surrounded by people she cares about, and welcomed her back. "The CEO" said after talking to AEW President Tony Khan, she decided to make a stop at "Collision" to "say hello" to Persephone, who defeated Mone for the CMLL women's title, and Hazuki.

"After all... Everyone knows I run Wednesdays. But sometimes people need to be reminded that I run Saturdays too," she wrote.

Mone and Hazuki will face off in the semi-finals of the Owen Hart tournament on "Dynamite" on June 17. The match will determine who goes on to AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door at the end of the month, where the winners of both sides of the bracket will compete for a shot at the AEW Women's World Championship at All In: London.