AEW: Mercedes Mone on Kris Statlander Being “Another Wrestling Soulmate”, AEW Reportedly Had Plans for Ric Flair Appearance for 1/4 Collision Show, More News

Mercedes Mone Comments on Kris Statlander Being “Another Wrestling Soulmate” After Their Match at AEW Worlds End 2024

A recent issue of the Mone Mag fan newsletter featured Mercedes Mone’s thoughts about her match against Kris Statlander for the TBS Championship at last week’s AEW Worlds End 2024 event and her praise of Statlander for pushing her to be better as a wrestler.

“As the final pay-per-view of the year, AEW Worlds End was an event that promised to leave an indelible mark on the fans and the wrestlers themselves. For me, this occasion was far more than just another match; it encapsulated a journey filled with challenges, determination, and, ultimately, triumph.

It all began with a long-awaited drive from Boston to Florida, a trip my brother had anticipated throughout the year. However, the universe had other plans. My flight was delayed, disrupting my carefully laid travel schedule. I needed to reach Orlando by Christmas Eve, so I embarked on a grueling 20-hour drive alone. Exhaustion weighed heavily on me, compounded by the lingering effects of a relentless illness. By the time I arrived home, sick and weary, I was grateful for my aunt’s support, who had driven in from Iowa to help with the holiday festivities.

Yet, as the clock ticked down to AEW Worlds End, I felt worse. I reached out to my doctor for advice on managing my illness, and on the day of the event, I was terrified about how I would make it through the show. Thankfully, my Boston’s Vital Care team arrived to help, providing me with an IV bag before I even set foot in the arena. Their support was invaluable, but I still needed to muster the strength to face my opponent, Kris.

Arriving at the arena in my Uncle Big Papa’s custom monster truck was a surreal experience. The thunder of the speakers blasted through me, a powerful reminder of the energy that awaited us inside. I prayed for strength, knowing I needed every ounce of it to deliver a memorable performance.

Backstage, the trainers rallied around me, offering encouragement and advice. As I prepared for my match, I felt a mix of nerves and adrenaline. The moment I stepped into the ring, I was struck by Kris’s renewed energy. It was clear that this would be a battle like no other.

Despite feeling like I was at my lowest, I tapped into a reservoir of strength I didn’t know I had. Each move was a testament to the hard work and perseverance that had brought me to this moment. As the match progressed, I narrowly escaped defeat, pushing my body and mind to their limits. Finally, after the exhilarating 1-2-3 count, I stumbled to the back, utterly drained but exhilarated.

The praise that followed was overwhelming. Fans and peers alike hailed our match as one of the greatest women’s bouts of all time. In my heart, I knew that Kris had pushed me to be better, to think creatively, and to fight with everything I had. She’s not just a formidable opponent, but I think I’ve found another wrestling soulmate who challenges me to elevate my game.

Reflecting on AEW Worlds End, I realize it was more than just a closing chapter for the year; it was a celebration of resilience, passion, and the unyielding spirit of professional wrestling. Kris, I can’t wait to step into the ring with you again, and next time—when I’m 100%—the world will witness an even greater showdown.

As we close out this year, let this be a reminder that no matter the obstacles we face, with determination and support, we can rise above and create unforgettable moments.

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AEW Reportedly Originally Planned for Ric Flair Appearance for This Saturday’s AEW Collision Show

As noted before, AEW recently announced that WWE Hall of Famers and legendary tag team Rock N’ Roll Express, Robert Gibson & Ricky Morton, will be making two appearances for the company this month. The first of the two appearances will be for this Saturday’s AEW Collision show in Charlotte, North Carolina.

PWInsider’s Mike Johnson reported that his sources stated that AEW officials originally had plans at one point for WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair to make an appearance at this Saturday’s show. Those spoken to reportedly stated that Flair’s role would have been as a “cameo.”

Following the dropped plans, AEW reportedly decided on the Rock N’ Roll Express instead for their plans to have a local legend showing up for their show in Charlotte.

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AEW News & Notes

Fightful Select reported that their sources stated that the reason why PAC was absent from the Death Riders for this past week’s AEW Worlds End 2024 event and AEW Dynamite Fight for the Fallen 2025 show was due to him currently being overseas and has not been stateside for recent shows.

Mansoor recently released his Top 10 games list for GiantBomb.com’s annual Top 10 games lists for 2024.

AEW recently released a new AEW Timelines video on their official YouTube channel. This new video was a “The Best of Collision 2024 Part One.”

PWInsider’s Mike Johnson reported that a lawsuit filed against AEW and Bryan Danielson this past December was thrown out in court. Johnson reported that this lawsuit was filed by a man named Leland Owens on December 13th and claimed that AEW committed intellectual property infringement and theft of his idea that he claimed he gave to Danielson. Owens previously filed a similar lawsuit against WWE over similar claims and also claims of unpaid wages. Johnson reported that the court dismissed Owens’ lawsuit on December 26th stating that he failed “to allege any federal jurisdiction.” The court reportedly also ruled the dismissal without prejudice, which means that Owens would be legally allowed to refile a lawsuit in the future. Johnson reported that AEW was never served legal papers and likely did not have any idea that a lawsuit even existed against them.

In a recent interview with the Five Star Podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair gave his thoughts about his working relationship with AEW CEO Tony Khan during his time in AEW. Flair stated “Oh god, we’re very close. I think he’s one of the greatest — not just great promoter, I think he’s one of the greatest people, human beings I’ve ever met. Very caring, genuine guy. And he’s got more money than God.” (Transcript h/t: F4WOnline.com)

In a recent interview with Sports Illustrated’s The Takedown on SI, Adam Copeland gave his thoughts about his role in AEW. Copeland stated “I’ve always said I’m a designated hitter. Where do you need me? Okay, right now we’re moving into Max. You want a recognizable face? Got it. Okay, you need me for this right now. Well, then let’s do me and Mox right now then. That’s how I look at things, more so than I gotta go from this story, to this story, to this story. Where are we as a company? Where do you need me? You need my face here, for right now, coming off an Emmy nomination, all those things. I get it. Cool. Put me here. Let’s go.“

In a recent interview with Variety, Julia Hart gave her thoughts about how movies like “Kill Bill” and television shows like “Wednesday” help her draw inspiration for her current character in AEW. Hart stated “I love the ‘Kill Bill’ movies because of how Beatrix holds herself. She’s so badass. I love that. I love ‘Wednesday,’ obviously. Stevie Nicks, too. ‘Sabrina the Teenage Witch’ in the Netflix series, how she has an attitude and she’s sassy and she’s young. I call myself the ‘Princess of the Black Throne’ instead of the ‘Queen’ because I feel like princesses are more naive. I still have a lot to learn, I still have so much more to go. I’m just a couple years into wrestling. Learning more in-ring wise, and figuring out people’s brains better, because I love to be the keeper of secrets. Figuring people out, figuring out their weaknesses, how to tear them down and beat them.“

As noted before, WWE Hall of Famers and legendary tag team Rock N’ Roll Express will be making two appearances for AEW this month. In a recent interview with WrestleZone, Dax Harwood gave his thoughts about how he was the person who had pitched the idea for AEW to bring in the Rock N’ Roll Express for this Saturday’s AEW Collision show in North Carolina. Harwood stated “I pitched to Tony [Khan] to bring Rock ‘n’ Roll, I wanted to bring them to Asheville and Charlotte, but we could only get them for Charlotte, which is great. Having Ricky and Robert there, they could be so easily forgotten about because WWE, they haven’t, I don’t want to say doesn’t because I don’t know the current regime, but they haven’t liked to promote and show what wasn’t a WWE product. Ricky and Robert never were, aside from a few months in ‘92 and again in ‘98, aside from a couple of months, they weren’t part of the WWE, so it’s easy to forget how great they were. But they were, in my opinion, they were the greatest babyface tag team of all time, I would put them one and two with greatest tag team of all time, in my opinion, Midnight Express are the greatest tag team of all time. But Rocky Morton, the greatest babyface, if you watch him, he is the greatest babyface.” (Transcript h/t: Fightful.com)

This past Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite Fight for the Fallen 2025 show featured The Acclaimed’s Anthony Bowens walking out on Max Caster during their tag team match against the Hurt Syndicate. Following the show, AEW held a digital exclusive backstage interview with The Acclaimed about their issues on the show. Caster stated “What you just witnessed was the best wrestler alive in action, a two-on-one attack by The Hurt Syndicate, a cowardly act by a couple of cowards. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. We don’t want them here because the best wrestler alive may have lost that battle…” Bowens responded stating “Are you kidding me, Max? This best wrestler alive bullshit? You got exactly what you deserve out there. You’ve been pissing me off for months, so much so that Billy [Gunn] doesn’t even want to show up and deal with you.” Caster responded back stating “You know what? F*ck Billy. I’m the leader of The Acclaimed. I gotta deal with Billy.” Bowens responded back stating “The only reason why I haven’t punched you in the face is because Billy asked me not to.” (Transcript h/t: Fightful.com)