Update on Mercedes/Athena/Toni Storm/Mariah May rumors (Patreon)

Athena vs. Mercedes Mone was not the plan for AEW All In.

There was recently a report regarding plans for AEW All In that suggested that Mercedes Mone vs. Athena was in the cards for All In, and that Mariah May leaving adjusted things. Specifically, that as recent as the Owen Hart Foundation tournament, that Mercedes was open to losing to set up an All In rematch. This has been refuted by a number of AEW sources as never having been the plan.

We were told Mercedes hasn't been opposed to losing to anyone, it just hasn't been broached during the course of the push she's been on. We can't speak to her personal pitches regarding losing to Athena in the Owen Hart Tournament, but the plan for Toni Storm vs. Mercedes Mone has been in the cards for All In since last year, even while Mariah May was still champion.

Mariah May had informed AEW she'd be leaving the company by the Hollywood Ending, but by then, AEW had already long had their creative plans for Mercedes vs. Toni Storm set. We're told that Mariah May leaving didn't affect those plans whatsoever. It only affected the early discussions as to who Mariah would face if she was still around. There were early discussions internally for Mariah May to compete in a non-title feud.

One source indicated that the plan for Mercedes Mone vs. Toni Storm was something that was planned even as far back as a year before the show.