Original Artwork Jason Jimenez-Garrido
Just when we thought the professional wrestling industry couldn’t get any more interesting, All Elite Wrestling (AEW) decides to make some major moves of their own. AEW has signed two of the biggest free agents in pro-wrestling: the Japanese sensation Kazuchika Okada and perhaps the biggest women’s wrestler of the last decade, Mercedes Moné.
While most of the focus has been on World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and the buildup to this year’s ‘WrestleMania,’ AEW has been in the process of rebuilding its identity.
For the past two years, the company has been plagued by backstage drama that at times distracted the fans from anything going on in regards to their weekly television shows.
In addition to the drama, the company has also had to deal with a handful of their top wrestlers such as Kenny Omega, Adam Cole, and MJF being sidelined with injuries. These injuries were huge blows on the company, as these talents were very prominently featured in their storylines.
When you consider these setbacks, along with the amount of attention AEW’s competition (WWE) has been getting with the return of The Rock and the ongoing Cody Rhodes saga, AEW has been struggling to bring eyes to its weekly programming.
However, it seems that the company has finally found a solution by signing two of the biggest free agents in the industry. One of those signings is former New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) star, Okada.
Okada has been widely regarded as one of the best wrestlers not only in Japan but around the world. During his run in NJPW, which began in 2007, he became a four time G1 Climax tournament winner, six time IWGP Heavyweight Champion, and a two time IWGP World Heavyweight Champion, among many other accomplishments.
As a wrestling fan, when you think of NJPW, it’s impossible to not think of Okada, who carried the company on his back for the past decade and a half. Therefore, it came as a huge shock to the wrestling industry when NJPW announced Okada’s plans to leave the company in search of the next step in his career.
In the announcement, Okada stated his gratitude towards the company and its fans, saying “I have nothing but gratitude for having been a part of New Japan Pro-Wrestling since 2007, and for NJPW bringing me from a 19 year old kid off the plane in Mexico to the Rainmaker I am today. – I promise to make it rain in every match I have left, so keep watching.”
After finishing his last few scheduled appearances in NJPW, Okada made his surprise debut on the March 6 episode of AEW ‘Dynamite.’
His official debut came during a segment where Eddie Kingston was outnumbered by the Young Bucks, Nick and Matt Jackson. When the fans heard the iconic sound of coins hitting the ground, the crowd erupted in excitement.
Much to the surprise of the crowd, instead of coming to Kingston’s aid, Okada joined in on the attack by hitting him with his devastating ‘Rainmaker Clothesline’ finisher. With this gesture, Okada has now aligned himself with the Bucks to form a new and improved version of ‘The Elite’ faction.
Moné on the other hand is a former WWE ‘Superstar’ once known as the ‘Legit Boss’ Sasha Banks. Her accolades include having seven combined Women’s Championship reigns, as well as holding the Women’s Tag-Team Championship three times.
Along with her fellow ‘Four Horsewomen’ Bayley, Charlotte Flair, and Becky Lynch, Moné helped redefine what it means to be a women’s wrestler in the WWE. In just ten years, Moné had a run that could already guarantee her a spot in WWE’s ‘Hall of Fame.’
However, as previously mentioned, things didn’t end well between Moné and the WWE. After disputes with higher ups regarding the way the Women’s Tag-Team Championship titles were being utilized on television, Moné and her tag partner Naomi left the company in 2022.
Since then, she found success not only by briefly wrestling for Stardom and NJPW, but also jumping into acting with her role as Koska Reeves in Disney+’s ‘The Mandalorian’ series.
As her short term deal with Stardom came to an end, Moné entered a very stacked free agency, with AEW and WWE both interested in signing her. However, according to Forbes, Moné was seeking to earn a salary similar to Lynch’s, who is currently making 3 million annually in the WWE while making potential negotiations with AEW and WWE.
WWE reportedly did not agree to her demands and walked away from negotiations.
However, AEW owner Tony Khan was more than willing to fulfill her terms, knowing that signing her would be a game changer for the company. It looks to have been a worthy investment, as Mone’s debut at the AEW ‘Dynamite: Big Business’ special garnered over a million viewers tuning in to watch her live.
With these signings, AEW adds some much needed starpower to their weekly programming. Fans now anxiously await to see if Okada’s former rival Omega will come after him and the Elite after being ‘fired’ from the group on the night of the ‘Rainmaker’s debut.
With the ‘CEO’ Moné now being added into the mix, the AEW Women’s Champion Toni Storm and the women’s division as a whole now have to keep an eye on the back of their heads as she is here to take over.
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