Jim Ross provides clarification on his controversial comments about Mercedes Mone's AEW run - "That was no disrespect meant to her"
Jim Ross recently made some controversial comments about Mercedes Mone's AEW run. He has now provided some clarification regarding those comments.
As soon as she signed with AEW, Mercedes Mone established herself as the top star in the division. She quickly won the TBS Championship, and, within a short time, captured the NJPW Strong Women's Championship.
Despite her success in the ring, Mone has been on the receiving end of a lot of criticism from a lot of people. Even Jim Ross previously commented that the TBS Champion didn't ring his bell
Speaking on his Grilling JR podcast, Jim Ross clarified his earlier comments, saying that she hasn't been booked to showcase her abilities properly:
“One thing that’s on my mind that I want to clear up. I said something regarding Mercedes Mone that, you know, she had not rung my bell, shall we say. That was no disrespect meant to her. It’s all depending on how you’re booked and who you’re working with, and the scenario, the storyline. I think she’s been short of storyline, and so therefore I haven’t got to feel that grit and that aggression. She’s very athletic and she’s a beautiful woman, but golly, she could be used a lot more efficiently, I think. I’m not knocking the company, but she’s a significant investment. I’m anxious to see how it all works out…I’m a big fan of her work. It’s just, I think, you know, she could be even more effective. The best is yet to come for her. So I just want to clear that up.” [H/T Wrestlingnews.co]
Vince Russo says Vince McMahon never saw Mercedes Mone as a money-maker
Although Mercedes Mone is a top star in AEW, it wasn't that way when she worked for the WWE. She was always playing second fiddle to Charlotte Flair, Bayley, or Becky Lynch. A former WWE writer explained why she was poorly booked by Vince McMahon.
Speaking on Sportskeeda's The Wrestling Outlaws podcast, Vince Russo claimed that Vince McMahon never saw the former Sasha Banks as a money maker:
"If Vince McMahon thought she was a money maker, he wouldn't have treated her that way. He wouldn't have. So, he was literally looking at her as a good little hand and that was his opinion. She had a much higher opinion of herself, so she just went elsewhere." [5:12 - 5:36]
It will be interesting to see if Mercedes Mone will face some strong opponents where she can showcase her real skills.