Tony Khan confirmed during a conference call ahead of AEW All Out 2026 that Mercedes Moné would indeed take part in the PPV.
Mercedes Moné defeated Willow Nightingale at AEW All In to become the AEW Women’s Champion, but she suffered a nasal fracture. The injury prevented her from wrestling in a match, yet she remained on-screen during AEW’s broadcasts.
Tony Khan explained that the plans for All Out 2026 were upended because of this injury and that they organized this challenger bout for WrestleDream, which hadn’t been planned originally:
Yeah. A lot has changed. Mercedes Moné was initially set to wrestle at AEW All Out, but that’s the very nature of wrestling. It’s an impact sport. There are injuries and, like in any sport, you need to have a diverse roster, be able to react quickly, and show flexibility, and that’s what AEW does well.
In Mercedes’ case, this is not a long-term injury. She’ll be back soon. I think she’ll return next month, and I’m nearly certain of it. The plan is for Mercedes to come back in October. That’s why we have this PPV match to decide who will face the world champion at our next WrestleDream show. Mercedes’ injury clearly affected our plans. She was supposed to wrestle at All Out, and I know she was eager to step into the ring this Saturday, but the doctors did not give her the green light.
Mercedes Moné will defend her women’s championship against the All Out winner between Willow Nightingale and Thekla. The bout is scheduled for October 17, 2026.
