Cross-brand appearances will continue for Mercedes Mone as she’s now booked for yet another appearance for New Japan Pro-Wrestling. She’s just been booked for her next title defense over the NJPW Strong Women’s Championship at the NJPW Resurgence event set for May 9.
NJPW officially announced, last night that Mercedes Mone will defend the title for the annual show that’s emanating, this year from Ontario, California on Friday, May 9. The exact name of her opponent has yet to be declared as she will take on the winner of a number-one contender’s match set for Windy City Riot on April 11 between Mina Shirakawa and AZM.
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🇺🇸Official for Resurgence May 9!!@MercedesVarnado will defend the #njpwSTRONG Women's Championship against the winner of @MinaShirakawa vs @azumikan1411!
Who will try to stop the Moné Train at Resurgence?
🎫TICKETS: https://t.co/cZeTRJm0au pic.twitter.com/VTsypdXfNM
— We Are Stardom (@we_are_stardom) April 2, 2025
This match comes at a phase when Shirakawa has officially announced her departure from STARDOM, effective March 31, 2025, as she permanently joined All Elite Wrestling (AEW). In a press conference held on March 26, Shirakawa made her intention clear and that’s to challenge herself on the global stage which could set her up for a rematch with Mercedes Mone.
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Mercedes Mone previously wrestled Mina Shirakawa
She won the Undisputed British Women’s title at Wrestle Dynasty on January 5 at the Tokyo Dome by defeating Mina Shirakawa in their first-ever encounter. Speaking of the belt, Mercedes Mone will also go through her first defense with this title on April 20 at the Doncaster Dome. Kanji defeated another AEW wrestler, Deonna Purrazzo, at RevPro Epic Encounter to earn the title match opportunity.
Meanwhile, NJPW Resurgence will mark the first NJPW match for Mercedes Mone since the above-mentioned Wrestle Dynasty match in the Tokyo Dome on January 5 when she not only captured the RevPro Undisputed British Women’s Championship but also retained the NJPW Strong title through a victory over Shirakawa.
Mercedes Mone has been in possession of the NJPW Strong Women’s Championship since defeating Stephanie Vaquer for the title at the AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door pay-per-view in June 2024. Vaquer has since signed with WWE and went on to become the first-ever dual NXT Women’s and NXT Women’s North American Champion.
Resurgence will be broadcast on NJPW World from the Toyota Arena in Ontario, California on Friday, May 9. The Strong title match is the only bout that’s been announced for the show.