Earlier this month, it was announced that Mercedes Mone was set to make more cross-brand appearances at New Japan Pro-Wrestling as she was booked for her next title defense over the NJPW Strong Women’s Championship at the NJPW Resurgence event set for May 9. In an update, the match lineup is now official, suggesting that she’d defend the title against not one but two women.
On the latest bygone Windy City Riot conducted by NJPW, AZM, and Mina Shirakawa faced off in a match to determine the new number-one contender for Mercedes Mone’s championship. At one point in the match, both women were down on the floor after Shirakawa hit AZM with a tornado DDT outside of the ring.
No one between them were able to make it back to the ring within the referee’s 20-count, forcing the official to stop the match and thereby declare the contest a double count-out. Both women were angry about how that match ended which also casted doubts on Mercedes Mone’s opponent for the Ontario, California show.
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As Windy City Riot progressed, announcer Veda Scott noted that Rocky Romero had made a decision which as that the NJPW Strong Women’s title match at Resurgence would be a three-way match with Mercedes Mone defending the belt against both Shirakawa and AZM. Also during the show, The Young Bucks appeared via video and issued a challenge to the War Dogs, making a tag team match official for Resurgence.
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The number one contender match ended in a Double Countout, leading Rocky Romero to make it a triple threat for the Strong Women's Championship at Resurgence! It will be AZM vs. Mina Shirakawa vs. Mercedes Mone!!! #NJRIOT #njpw pic.twitter.com/UNo0k75Vif
— Pro Wrestling & MMA News (@PWMMANews) April 12, 2025
Mercedes Mone wrestled both her Resurgence opponents in the past
Mercedes Mone is no stranger to either of her upcoming opponents when it comes to the squared circle. She defeated Mina Shirakawa at Wrestle Dynasty back on January 5 at the Tokyo Dome to win Shirkawa’s Undisputed British Women’s title and retain the NJPW Strong title. Before that, at Sakura Genesis 2023, Mone defeated AZM and Hazuki to retain the IWGP Women’s title.
On next week’s AEW Dynamite Spring Breakthru special, Mercedes Mone will also be in action in an Owen Hart Foundation women’s tournament semifinals match. The winner of Saturday’s Athena vs. Harley Cameron quarterfinals matchup on Collision will face The CEO in her hometown of Boston on the Wednesday, April 16 gimmicked Dynamite episode.
