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Former WWE Superstar Sasha Banks, who now goes by the name Mercedes Mone, shocked the wrestling world when she made her debut for the New Japan Pro Wrestling at Wrestle Kingdom 17, and it appears an NJPW legend was very excited to meet her backstage.
Following her match against Tam Nakano for the IWGP Women's Championship, KAIRI was confronted by the former WWE Superstar, who made her first wrestling-related appearance since May 2022.
Mone and her tag team partner at the time, Naomi, infamously walked out of WWE over frustrations with her creative direction. But despite being in Japan when Mercedes made her debut, she wasn't to be seen at Wrestle Kingdom.
One person who was very happy to see Mercedes Mone backstage at Wrestle Kingdom was NJPW legend Katsuyori Shibata, who managed to grab a picture with the former WWE Superstar after her debut.
"Our way," tweeted @K_Shibata2022
Will NJPW fans see these two interact on screen any time soon? Only time will tell!
Mercedes Mone will challenge for the IWGP Women's Championship on February 18, 2023
Not only did Mercedes Mone make her presence felt inside the Tokyo Dome, but she also let the world know what was in her sights: the IWGP Women's Championship.
After shaking hands with KAIRI following her successful title defense, Mone laid out the champion before cutting a promo on her. The former WWE Superstar said that she was the CEO of the women's division and that on February 18, 2023, she would bankrupt KAIRI.
On February 18, NJPW will travel to San Jose, California, for their "Battle in the Valley" event. At the time of writing, the event will be New Japan's first event on American soil in 2023, with scheduled episodes of NJPW Strong being taped before the end of 2022.
While the match was not set in stone at the time of writing, it is almost certain that Mercedes will be in San Jose on February 18, waiting for her first opportunity at winning gold since leaving WWE.
Do you think Mercedes Mone will win the IWGP Women's Championship? Let us know in the comments section down below!
