Mercedes Mone is one of the biggest names in all of pro wrestling and has made waves since she arrived in All Elite Wrestling earlier this year.
However, fans criticized Mone for various reasons, including being labeled an “unsafe worker” following a WWE live event in December 2017 where she was working a match with Saraya. During the six-woman tag team match, Mone hit Saraya in the neck, and the match was stopped because Saraya was hurt.
This was a year after Saraya had been sidelined with a neck injury. Saraya was medically retired due to spinal stenosis, only to be cleared and returned to in-ring action in 2022. While speaking with Hot 97, Mone was asked about this.
Mone said, “I was so depressed by it….that definitely sent me on a spiral of depression because wrestling has always been my biggest goal and dream, and I’ve always wanted to be the greatest at it. So to hear any kinda noise that people might not think you’re safe, it wasn’t even the boys in the back; it’s just the fans thinking you’re not safe. It’s scary sometimes, but that’s the business that we’re in. You never know when you’re gonna get hurt or when you’re gonna sprain something, break a neck, break a knee; it’s just business. You have to go out there knowing that you’re gonna put your life on the line, but we do everything we can to protect each other, and unfortunately, that happened.”
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article, please credit Hot 97 with an h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
