Matt Hardy Praises Mercedes Mone's Star Quality in AEW Transition

In a recent episode of "The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy," the pro wrestling icon Matt Hardy shared his insights on Mercedes Mone's high-profile arrival at All Elite Wrestling (AEW). Previously known in WWE as "The Boss" Sasha Banks, Mone has transitioned into the "CEO" persona, significantly enhancing AEW's star appeal.

Hardy remarked, "Mercedes is gonna be bringing a lot of star power. She was a big star on WWE TV, which is a big deal. WWE TV is the most powerful professional wrestling television there’s ever been in history, so if you’ve been a big star in WWE TV, that gives you lots of equity. So her coming to AEW, it’s different from a Will Ospreay or an Okada, someone who is more of an international name, that people that follow international wrestling, people that are more diehard pro wrestling fans overall, they love and adore these people."

He elaborated on Mone's broad appeal, especially to casual fans who might not follow wrestling closely. "But Mercedes, she is someone that the casual fans know a lot more. When I say casual fans, it’s just people that don’t always watch wrestling, people that watch wrestling as they’re passing on TV. ‘Oh, here’s some wrestling on. What’s this girl’s name? This girl’s name is Mercedes Mone. This is Sasha Banks.’ They’re gonna know her, and 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 program."

Hardy also praised Mone's distinct charisma and in-ring capabilities, highlighting her unique ability to connect with the audience. "She’s got a very unique attitude, she’s got a very unique demeanor. I think Mercedes is extremely confident. I think she is good, and she knows she’s good. She’s very unique in the way she does things in the ring. She just has this presence and this aura about her, where when you see her, you believe in her. She really is, she’s someone who connects with fans, both female and male fans. She actually connects with them. She has that ‘it’ factor that it takes to be successful in pro wrestling."