Willow Nightingale defeated Julia Hart for the TBS Title at AEW Dynasty 2024, setting the stage for her defense against Mercedes Mone at Double Or Nothing.
Mone hasn’t wrestled due to an injury that needed to be surgically repaired last year. At the post-AEW Dynasty media scrum on Sunday night, Tony Khan was asked whether Mone will be ready in time for the match. He said,
“She’ll be cleared at Double or Nothing for the singles match. That was a big part of this, knowing that it’s been a major road for her to return from the injury. Big Business, we did a great crowd in Boston. It was a great crowd last year in Boston. We drew even more fans this year for Big Business and really stepped up. I think her presence was a huge part of that and it was great to have that moment but also start building up some real excitement around the championship, some real excitement around AEW. To have a top free agent arrive on the big stage like that on Dynamite in the TD Garden in Mercedes’ hometown, got a great reaction and I think it’s built a lot of excitement. Now we know Mercedes is going to challenge for the TBS title. Like Willow said, she’s going to be an active champion.”
He continued, “We do know Mercedes has been out about a year. When she wrestles at Double or Nothing, it will be a full year since she last wrestled, and against Willow. She blames Willow for causing this injury and really they’ve been butting heads since Mercedes arrived. There are a lot of variables here. We’ve seen backstage attacks, assailants and Willow has said she’s going to be a fighting champion so there could be more matches before. But we know Mercedes will be cleared for later in May, just a little over a month from now, Double or Nothing. I’m really for it. For Mercedes to come here, she’s one of the most decorated champions in wrestling.”
