Sasha Banks (Mercedes Mone) poses with 22-year-old WWE star in latest Instagram Story
Mercedes Mone (fka Sasha Banks) has been in the headlines recently as she is rumored to be making a move to AEW. While posting a set of Instagram Stories, she shared a photo with a 22-year-old WWE star. The name in question is Roxanne Perez.
As you may know, it looks increasingly clear that Mercedes Mone isn't WWE-bound as many had hoped. It looks like she could be joining AEW, where she will undoubtedly be one of the centerpieces of the women's division.
She posted a series of stories on Instagram to celebrate her younger brother Joshua's 30th birthday. One of the photos featured former NXT Women's Champion Roxanne Perez.
You can view the image below:
Roxanne Perez has cited Mercedes Mone as one of her biggest inspirations. She was only 14 when Banks and Bayley went to war at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn, forever changing the women's division in WWE.
Why did Sasha Banks (Mercedes Mone) reportedly refuse to sign with WWE?
The initial speculation behind Sasha Banks (Mercedes Mone) not signing with WWE was supposedly because she asked for excessive money - higher than what was being paid to the company's top star, Charlotte Flair. However, there was no confirmation of this.
Dave Meltzer said on The Wrestling Observer Radio that while Sasha Banks' demands were a little more than what WWE paid to a star of her caliber, it wasn't much higher than what other top female stars were making:
"I don't know her [Mercedes Mone] actual money demands, but I know in a general what she was looking for from WWE, and it was kinda in the range, and for a star of her caliber, while it would be a little bit more than WWE would be paying her, what she was looking for, maybe even more than a little bit more, but it was not more than they pay other women, and she was one of their bigger stars," said Meltzer. [H/T: SEScoops]
Either way, she will likely get a prominent spot in the AEW women's division, and many expect it to revolve around her.