Mercedes Moné made her NJPW debut earlier this month at Wrestle Kingdom 17 at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan, where she confronted IWGP Women’s Champion KAIRI to set up a title match at NJPW Battle In The Valley on Saturday, February 18 in San Jose, California.
As PWMania.com previously reported at this link, Moné recently spoke with the NJPW Digital Team to discuss a variety of topics. More highlights from the interview are included below:
KAIRI vs. Mayu Iwatani:
“It was absolutely incredible, I mean, the match was amazing, but the speech by Kairi afterwards is what really got to me. She said we can make this even more special. Make pro wrestling even bigger. Put it more on household names and that’s why Bank Moné is here. I’m trying to put New Japan on the map and make it global. I know it’s been around for so long and there’s so much history here, but it’s never been looked at the same since I stepped into the game. Ever since Banks Money has been the freest agent in this game, everybody’s just talking about me, the rumors where’s she gonna go, where’s she’s gonna go. New Japan Pro Wrestling is where I want to go and I’m here to stay.””
KAIRI and how they compare:
“When I first met KAIRI, I was already a fan, I thought she was super kawaii. But, you know, she’s just so gritty, she is so fearless, and she never gives up. That’s what I like about her. She’s a true fighter and she has the heart of a champion. But not for long, because I’m coming for that title. I’m gonna take it and become the new IWGP Women’s Champion. KAIRI is all around the greatest competitor. Her skills are more owned. She’s just more fiercer, she’s faster and she has more recognition because she was a worldwide superstar in WWE. She has more fans, but I’m Banks Moné, Mercedes Moné, I am the top superstar in all of the world, so she can’t even compare to me.”
Gambling on herself:
“I’ve never been more excited, more nervous, which I was never get nervous, but I am so ready for this. I’ve been dreaming about this. I’ve been really, really wanting this. And for this to be in the United States in San Jose, California, I have so much history there. I’ve had the greatest matches there, so February 18th is going to be the same. I’m going to make sure that is the greatest women’s match of all-time. And when I hold up my championship, oh, cute, little, KAIRI, I’m gonna send her back to Japan, and she can go back to STARDOM, and I can be the global superstar that I’m meant to be. I’m about to take that title everywhere. Not just New Japan, everywhere.”
The “New Moné”:
“It’s all what they already know. I already got everything in the bag. I’m here to take more money, more yen, more championships. I’m here to put New Japan and STARDOM on the map and make it global. I’m here to make fans know that women’s wrestling is where it’s at. And I’m gonna put it straight on the map, globally.”
(H/T to Joshie Lopez and WrestlingHeadlines.com for the transcription)
