Mercedes Mone established herself as a dominant force as soon as she arrived in AEW. She won the TBS Championship and then went on to win several titles from various other promotions around the world. Mone held the TBS Championship for over 500 days. After losing the TBS Title on the 31st December 2025 episode of Dynamite, Mone announced that she was taking a break from the company. Meanwhile, she continued to work on the independent scene and defended her other titles. Sadly, the CEO lost all her remaining titles as well. Given that she lost all her championship belts, it looked like she would be making her return to AEW. When the Owen Hart Cup 2026 was announced, Mone’s name was excluded from the tournament, which came as a bit of a surprise to many fans. In this article, we will look at five reasons why Mercedes Mone was not announced for the Owen Hart Cup 2026.
#5. Tony Khan is keeping Mercedes Mone’s return a surprise
Mercedes Mone is undoubtedly one of the biggest stars in women’s wrestling. She turns heads wherever she goes. Therefore, when she makes her return to the Jacksonville-based promotion, it will be a huge surprise to many fans who will be excited to see the CEO return.
Therefore, Tony Khan may want to keep her return a surprise. Therefore, he has not announced her for the Owen Hart Cup 2026, as making the announcement beforehand will result in a smaller pop from the fans. Tony Khan might want fans to pop as loud as they can when she makes her return unannounced.
#4. Mercedes Mone could make her return as a replacement
The Owen Hart Cup has already run into a bit of a problem since it was announced. Sareee will face Skye Blue, while Persephone is set to face off against Hazuki. The only issue with these two matches is that Tony Khan previously announced that Persephone was out of action indefinitely and would even miss ROH Supercard of Honor on May 15th. This is not the only concern, as Sareee also announced that she would be taking a month off wrestling to tend to a neck injury.
Tony Khan addressed these injuries during a recent media call and said that he expected both Sareee and Persephone to wrestle and their matches would likely take place in June. However, this could also be Tony trying to pull a fast one on the fans. Instead, he might announce Mercedes Mone as a replacement for one of these two women in the Owen Hart Cup. The AEW boss could announce a surprise replacement, which could turn out to be the CEO. This way, he can also keep her return a surprise.
#3. Mercedes Mone could take on Willow Nightingale at Double or Nothing
Mercedes Mone and Willow Nightingale have a lot of history together. The CEO won the TBS Championship from Willow Nightingale at Double or Nothing 2024. This kick-started her dominant run in the Jacksonville-based promotion. However, Mone also lost the TBS Title to Nightingale on the 31st December 2025 episode of Dynamite. After losing the title, she vowed to get revenge.
Therefore, the CEO could make her return to challenge Willow Nightingale at Double or Nothing 2026. Tony Khan has even hinted at this possibility by having Willow defend her TBS Title against several returning women, such as Hikaru Shida, Queen Aminata, Kamille, and Anna Jay. Therefore, the CEO would be the next person in line for a title shot against Willow.
#2. Mercedes Mone could be part of another storyline at All In
Another reason Tony Khan didn’t announce Mercedes Mone for the Owen Hart Cup 2026 could be that he is saving her for another storyline or program down the road. Perhaps the AEW boss has some big plans for the former TBS Champion.
Given that All In is just a few months away, Tony Khan might be trying to keep Mone for a huge storyline/match at the company’s biggest PPV of the year. Maybe the CEO will get a rematch against Willow Nightingale for the TBS Championship. Given the history of both women, All In would make for the perfect stage for this match to take place.
#1. Mercedes Mone might not be returning anytime soon
Given that Mercedes Mone has lost all her titles outside the company, many fans expected her to return to AEW. However, that has not happened. It might even be a while before she returns to the Jacksonville-based promotion.
Holding all those titles could’ve taken a toll on her body. Therefore, the CEO could be taking time off from the ring to rest and recover. This could be why Tony Khan didn’t feature her in the Owen Hart Cup 2026. She may not be returning to the company anytime soon.
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Edited by Sunil Joseph
