Mercedes Moné

Mercedes Justine Kaestner Varnado, known professionally as Mercedes Moné, is an American professional wrestler and actress. Widely regarded as one of the greatest female wrestlers of all time, she is the only woman to hold championships across WWE, AEW, NJPW, and CMLL. As of 2026, she competes in All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where she set the record for the longest AEW TBS Championship reign at 584 days. Her career is defined by historic firsts: she headlined the first women's Hell in a Cell match in 2016 and co-headlined WrestleMania 37 Night 1 in 2021, the first time two African American women closed the show. Beyond wrestling, she portrays Koska Reeves in the Disney+ series The Mandalorian. Moné's fanbase, known as the #MercedesArmy, rallies behind her confident, trailblazing persona.[edit]

Growing up in a strict religious household in Boston, Massachusetts, Varnado was a tomboy who idolized professional wrestlers like Eddie Guerrero and Rey Mysterio. She attended the Cambridge School of Weston, where she was a cheerleader and track athlete. After briefly attending community college, she decided to pursue wrestling full-time. In 2010, she enrolled at Chaotic Wrestling in Massachusetts, training under Brian Fury. She made her professional debut that same year and won the Chaotic Wrestling Women's Championship in 2011. A pivotal moment came in 2012 when WWE invited her to try out; she impressed and signed a developmental contract soon after.[edit]

Varnado debuted in WWE's NXT in 2012 as Sasha Banks, adopting the Boss persona. She won the NXT Women's Championship in 2015 and headlined NXT TakeOver: Respect in the first women's Iron Woman match, later named Match of the Year by PWI. Called up to the main roster in 2015, she captured the Raw Women's Championship five times. In 2016, she and Charlotte Flair became the first women to headline a WWE pay-per-view in a Hell in a Cell match. She won the inaugural WWE Women's Tag Team Championship with Bayley in 2019 and completed the Women's Grand Slam in 2020. After creative disputes, she left WWE in 2022 and debuted for NJPW/Stardom as Mercedes Moné at Wrestle Kingdom 17, winning the IWGP Women's Championship. In 2024, she signed with AEW, debuted at Dynamite: Big Business, and won the TBS Championship at Double or Nothing. She held the title for a record 584 days and was named PWI Woman of the Year in 2025.[edit]

Mercedes Moné's public persona blends high-fashion streetwear with luxurious athletic gear, often featuring designer sunglasses, custom ring jackets, and bold hair colors. Her content tone is confident, motivational, and unapologetically ambitious, frequently emphasizing her self-worth as The CEO of women's wrestling. Media portray her as a trailblazing and sometimes controversial figure who revolutionized women's wrestling through her in-ring work and advocacy. Fans, known as The #MercedesArmy or Moné's Legion, engage in coordinated social media campaigns and chants during matches. Her social media voice is direct and empowering, often sharing behind-the-scenes glimpses and promoting her brand as a top-tier athlete and entertainer.[edit]

Mercedes Moné is currently the 30th most famous person in Pro Wrestling, a position she holds steady in the latest cycle. This standing places her among the elite tier of global athletic figures according to the iFANN Global Fame Rankings, which tracks attention across media coverage, search activity, and consumption signals worldwide. Her influence extends far beyond the ring, cementing her status as a cultural touchstone for modern wrestling fans. The community surrounding her has coalesced into a distinct group known as The Krew, with individual supporters proudly identifying as Krew members. This organized fanbase is renowned for its digital mobilization, often rallying around her championship reigns and major career milestones on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. While some observers might simply call her fans "The Mercedes Army" based on social media trends, the documented identity within the iFANN framework remains The Krew. Their engagement transforms every appearance into a significant event, whether she is headlining AEW Dynamite or making viral appearances that spark industry-wide debate. The energy of The Krew mirrors Moné's own unapologetic ambition, creating a feedback loop where her confidence fuels their loyalty and their support amplifies her reach. From the moment she debuted in AEW to her record-breaking TBS Championship reign, this fandom has been instrumental in elevating her profile from a top-tier athlete to a global icon.[edit]

Her ring name Sasha Banks was a tribute to her godfather Sasha and a character from The Wire. She is a huge anime fan, especially of Naruto and Sailor Moon. Her signature submission hold, the Bank Statement, is a modified crossface. She is a cousin of rapper Snoop Dogg. In 2018, she appeared on Worst Cooks in America. Beyond these established facts, a specific legendary moment in her recent history occurred at the 2026 Owen Hart Women's Tournament at AEW Forbidden Door, where she defeated competitors to earn a shot at the title at All In, solidifying her elite status. Fans also frequently retell the story of her August 2026 attack on Willow Nightingale during an Instagram Live stream, an incident that sparked intense speculation about their upcoming rivalry. Another piece of modern lore involves the bafflement caused by a training video featuring Bayley and Moné, which reportedly raised eyebrows in WWE circles and highlighted the high stakes of her current narrative arc.[edit]

Varnado was born to a father who was a pastor and a mother who worked in the medical field. She has a younger sister. Her family supported her wrestling dreams despite their strict upbringing. As of 2026, she lives privately and has not disclosed any pets or household details.[edit]

Mercedes Moné has kept her romantic life extremely private. There are no publicly confirmed relationships, engagements, or marriages. A brief, unconfirmed rumor linked her to a fellow wrestler, but neither party ever acknowledged it. As of 2026, she is widely reported to be single with no public romantic partner.[edit]

iFANN currently estimates Mercedes Moné's net worth at $5 Million as of 2026. Her wealth stems from her wrestling contracts: during her WWE tenure (2012-2022), she earned an estimated $500,000 to $1 million annually, plus merchandise royalties and pay-per-view bonuses. Her AEW contract, signed in 2024, is reportedly worth over $1 million per year, including a signing bonus and a share of merchandise sales. Her short stint with NJPW/Stardom in 2023 added per-appearance fees. Outside wrestling, she earned SAG-AFTRA rates for her role as Koska Reeves in The Mandalorian. Endorsements with C4 Energy and her signature merchandise line (t-shirts, action figures) contribute additional income. She has no publicly known real estate holdings.[edit]

Mercedes Moné has won multiple top wrestling honors. She is a two-time PWI Woman of the Year (2015, 2025) and was named Wrestler of the Year by Sports Illustrated in 2020. Her match against Bayley at NXT TakeOver: Respect won PWI Match of the Year in 2015. She also won the PWI Feud of the Year award in 2016 for her rivalry with Charlotte Flair.[edit]